System and method for incentivizing the maintenance of funds in a gaming establishment account

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates generally to a system that provides zero, one or more benefits to a user in association with maintaining an amount of funds in one or more gaming establishment accounts associated with one or more system components.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation of, claims priority to and thebenefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/956,169, filed on Apr.18, 2018, the entire contents of which is incorporated by referenceherein.

BACKGROUND

Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base gamesare well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place ormake a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of thesegaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winningsymbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager. Generally,symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur providehigher awards.

SUMMARY

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a systemincluding a gaming establishment component processor, and a gamingestablishment component memory device which stores a plurality ofinstructions, which when executed by the gaming establishment componentprocessor responsive to an occurrence of an external account destinationfund transfer event associated with an amount of funds, cause the gamingestablishment component processor to determine an incentive, communicatedata which results in a display device displaying the determinedincentive, and responsive to a receipt of data associated with arejection by a user of the determined incentive, communicate dataassociated with the amount of funds to be electronically transferredfrom a gaming establishment account to an external account. Whenexecuted by the gaming establishment component processor responsive to areceipt of data associated with an acceptance by the user of thedetermined incentive, the instructions cause the gaming establishmentcomponent processor to not communicate any data associated with theamount of funds being electronically transferred from the gamingestablishment account to the external account, determine any benefitassociated with the determined incentive, and communicate data whichresults in the display device displaying the determined benefit.

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a systemincluding a gaming establishment component processor, and a gamingestablishment component memory device which stores a plurality ofinstructions, which when executed by the gaming establishment componentprocessor responsive to an occurrence of an external account destinationfund transfer event associated with an amount of funds, cause the gamingestablishment component processor to communicate data which results in adisplay device displaying an offer to not electronically transfer theamount of funds from a gaming establishment account to an externalaccount in exchange for a quantity of entries into a drawing, whereinthe quantity of entries into the drawing is based on the amount offunds, and responsive to a receipt of data associated with a rejectionof the offer, communicate data associated with the amount of funds to beelectronically transferred from the gaming establishment account to theexternal account. When executed by the gaming establishment componentprocessor responsive to a receipt of data associated with an acceptanceof the offer, the instructions cause the gaming establishment componentprocessor to not communicate any data associated with the amount offunds being electronically transferred from the gaming establishmentaccount to the external account, associate the quantity of entries intothe drawing with the gaming establishment account, and responsive to oneof the quantity of entries into the drawing associated with the gamingestablishment account being a winning entry, cause an award amountassociated with the drawing to be deposited into the gamingestablishment account.

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a systemincluding a gaming establishment component processor, and a gamingestablishment component memory device which stores a plurality ofinstructions, which when executed by the gaming establishment componentprocessor, cause the gaming establishment component processor todetermine an incentive, and communicate data which results in a displaydevice displaying the determined incentive. When executed by the gamingestablishment component processor responsive to an occurrence of anexternal account destination fund transfer event associated with anamount of funds, the instructions cause the gaming establishmentcomponent processor to communicate data associated with the amount offunds to be electronically transferred from a gaming establishmentaccount to an external account. When executed by the gamingestablishment component processor responsive to no occurrence of anyexternal account destination fund transfer event associated with anyamount of funds, the instructions cause the gaming establishmentcomponent processor to not communicate any data associated with anyamount of funds being electronically transferred from the gamingestablishment account to any external account, determine a benefitassociated with the determined incentive, and communicate data whichresults in the display device displaying the determined benefit.

Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will beapparent from the following Detailed Description and the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1A is an example configuration of the architecture of a pluralityof different components of the system disclosed herein.

FIG. 1B is a flow chart an example process for operating a system whichassociates incentives with users whom retain an amount of funds ingaming establishment fund management accounts.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are example graphical user interfaces displayedon a mobile device in connection with providing an incentive to a userwhom retains an amount of funds in gaming establishment fund managementaccount.

FIGS. 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 21 and 2J are example graphical user interfacesdisplayed on a mobile device in connection with actions initiated at amobile device and completed at an EGM.

FIGS. 3A, and 3B are example wireless configurations of the system ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of an electronicconfiguration of an example gaming system disclosed herein.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective views of example alternative embodimentsof an example gaming system disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In various embodiments, the system disclosed herein provides zero, oneor more benefits to a user in association with maintaining an amount offunds in one or more gaming establishment accounts associated with oneor more system components. In such embodiments, to incentivize a user toforgo transferring an amount of funds from a gaming establishmentaccount to a third party account, the system offers to the user, such asa player, one or more benefits and/or one or more opportunities toobtain one or more benefits not otherwise available to the users.

In certain embodiments, upon an occurrence of an external accountdestination fund transfer event, such as upon a user's request totransfer an amount of funds from a gaming establishment account to anexternal account or upon one or more components of the system detectingthat a user's visit to the gaming establishment has concluded or willconclude within a designated period of time, the system determines oneor more incentives, such as one or more entries into an award drawing,to entice the user to retain an amount of funds in one or more gamingestablishment accounts maintained for the user. The system of theseembodiments offers the determined incentive to the user in exchange forthe user agreeing not to initiate or otherwise complete a transfer offunds (for a designated period of time) from one or more gamingestablishment accounts associated with the user to one or more externalaccounts.

In various embodiments, following the user's acceptance of the offer tomaintain their funds in the gaming establishment account, the systemperiodically determines whether or not an incentive realizationtriggering event has occurred in association with the funds maintainedin the gaming establishment account associated with the user. If thesystem determines that the incentive realization triggering event hasoccurred, the system provides the user zero, one or more benefitsassociated with the determined incentive. For example, upon a playerleaving their funds in a gaming establishment account for a designatedperiod of time (i.e., an occurrence of an incentive realizationtriggering event), the system provides the player a quantity of playertracking points (i.e., a benefit). These benefits are mutuallybeneficial for both the user (via obtaining or potentially obtainingbenefits after they have left the gaming establishment) and the gamingestablishment (via having access to the player's funds after they haveleft the gaming establishment). As such, to reduce the transaction feesincurred by the user and/or the gaming establishment associated withtransferring funds to one or more external accounts, such as the fees totransfer an amount of funds back to an external funding source whichpreviously transferred funds to a gaming establishment account, thesystem disclosed herein provides the user zero, one or more benefits toretain an amount of funds in one or more accounts maintained inassociation with the user. Such a configuration thus enhances the user'sgaming establishment experience by providing one or more benefits and/orone or more opportunities to obtain such benefits after the user hasdeparted the gaming establishment (i.e., when the user no longer has aneed to keep such funds in these gaming establishment accounts) and whensuch benefits would not otherwise available to the user.

It should be appreciated that different external accounts maintained bydifferent external (i.e., non-gaming establishment) funding sources areassociated with different percentages of interest paid by the externalfunding source holding the account owner's funds. As such, a user'sdecision to forgo transferring an amount of funds from one or moregaming establishment accounts to these different external accountsresults in the user forgoing earning an amount of interest from theexternal funding source. To incentivize the user to decide to forgoearning such an amount of interest from the external funding source, thesystem provides the user zero, one or more benefits which may be have avalue less than the amount of forgone interest or have a value greaterthan the amount of forgone interest. For example, if a player decides toforgo transferring $1000 from a gaming establishment account to a bankchecking account (and thus, assuming a 1% annual interest rate payableafter one year, decides to forgo the $10 of yearly interest earnable forthat $1000 being held in the bank checking account), the system providesthe player one-thousand entries into a drawing for $50,000 (i.e., anopportunity to obtain a benefit). In this example, if one of theplayer's one-thousand entries into the drawing is the winning entry, thesystem provides the player the $50,000 which represents a multiple of5000× the amount of interest the player would have otherwise earned bytransferring the funds to the bank checking account. As illustrated bythis example, while certain players prefer the predictability (i.e.,relative low volatility) of the interest earned by transferring theirfunds to a bank checking account, other players prefer theunpredictability (i.e., relative high volatility) of gamingestablishment drawings to potentially win a life-altering award.

It should be further appreciated that different external accountsmaintained by different external (i.e., non-gaming establishment)funding sources are associated with fee amounts charged to complete atransfer of funds from a gaming establishment account. For example,transfers of funds to a bank checking account are associated withcertain fees (e.g., a 1% fee imposed on the amount transferred) and afund transfer completion time (e.g., funds are available within fivedays). As such, in addition to enabling a user to obtain zero, one ormore benefits in association with not transferring an amount of funds tosuch external accounts, the system further enables the user to avoidhaving to pay any fees applicable to such a transfer.

System Accounts

In various embodiments, the system disclosed herein includes variouscomponents or sub-systems which are each associated with or otherwisemaintain one or more electronic or virtual accounts. In theseembodiments, the various accounts maintained for a user collectivelyform a resort or enterprise account (i.e., a gaming establishment fundmanagement account) for the user. That is, the collection of cashlesswagering accounts (i.e., cashless wagering wallets) and gamingestablishment retail accounts (i.e., gaming establishment retailwallets) associated with or otherwise maintained for a player or usercollectively form a resort or enterprise account (i.e., an integratedresort or gaming establishment fund management wallet) which the playeror user may access to transfer funds and/or view balance informationamongst the various accounts associated with or otherwise maintained forthe player or user. As such, the system includes one or more gamingestablishment fund management systems which are each associated with orotherwise maintain one or more gaming establishment fund managementaccounts for a player.

In various embodiments, the system includes one or more cashlesswagering systems which are each associated with or otherwise maintainone or more cashless wagering accounts. In certain embodiments, thesystem includes a first cashless wagering system which maintains a firstcashless wagering account, wherein a player utilizes a mobile deviceapplication running on a mobile device to facilitate the electronictransfer of any funds between this first cashless wagering account andan electronic gaming machine (“EGM”). For example, as seen in FIG. 1A, aresort wallet 102 or enterprise wallet includes or is otherwise incommunication with a Sports/Mobile Wallet 104 (i.e., a first cashlesswagering account maintained by a first cashless wagering system)accessible via a mobile device 210 running a mobile device applicationas described herein.

In certain embodiments, the system additionally or alternativelyincludes a second cashless wagering system which maintains a secondcashless wagering account associated with a physical instrument, such asa player issued magnetic striped card. In these embodiments, a playerutilizes the physical instrument (e.g., via inserting the card into aplayer tracking unit associated with an EGM) to facilitate theelectronic transfer of any funds between this second cashless wageringaccount and the EGM. Continuing with the example, as seen in FIG. 1A,the resort wallet 102 or enterprise wallet also includes or is otherwisein communication with a Casino Wallet 106 (i.e., a second cashlesswagering account maintained by a second cashless wagering system)accessible via a physical instrument, such as a player issued magneticstriped card associated with the second cashless wagering system 112 ora mobile device associated with the second cashless wagering system.

In various embodiments, in addition to or an alternative of maintainingone or more cashless wagering accounts via one or more cashless wageringsystems, the system includes one or more gaming establishment retailsystems which each maintain one or more gaming establishment retailaccounts. Such a gaming establishment retail account (i.e., a gamingestablishment retail wallet) of a gaming establishment retail systemintegrates with various retail point-of-sale systems throughout thegaming establishment to enable players to purchase goods and/or servicesvia the player's gaming establishment retail account. Continuing withthis example, as seen in FIG. 1A, the resort wallet 102 or enterprisewallet further includes or is otherwise in communication with a RetailWallet 108 (i.e., a gaming establishment retail account maintained by agaming establishment retail system) accessible via a point-of-saleterminal 114 associated with a gaming establishment.

In certain embodiments, the gaming establishment fund management systemis in communication with one or more external funding sources whichmaintain one or more external accounts for the player. For example, asseen in FIG. 1, the resort wallet 102 or enterprise wallet (i.e., thegaming establishment fund management account) is in communication with anetwork of one or more banks or other financial institutions (i.e., thebanking networks 110) which, as described below, operate toelectronically transfer funds from the player's accounts maintained assuch banks or financial institutions to the gaming establishment fundmanagement system. In certain embodiments, the gaming establishment fundmanagement account is associated with one or more external accounts,such as one or more credit card accounts maintained by one or morefinancial institutions, one or more debit card accounts maintained byone or more banks or credit unions, one or more financial institutionaccounts, such as a brokerage account, maintained by one or morefinancial institutions and/or one or more third-party maintainedaccounts (e.g., one or more PayPal® accounts or Venmo® accounts). Itshould be appreciated that while illustrated as the gaming establishmentfund management system being in communication with one or more externalfunding sources, in different embodiments, any component or sub-systemdescribed herein can be in communication with one or more externalfunding sources. As such, in different embodiments, an incentive can beoffered to a user, as disclosed herein, in exchange for the user optingagainst transferring an amount of funds from any gaming establishmentaccount disclosed herein to an external account.

In certain embodiments (not shown), the gaming establishment fundmanagement system (which maintains a gaming establishment fundmanagement account or resort wallet for a player) is in communicationwith one or more credit systems which each issue the player one or morelines of credit or markers and/or one or more credit reporting/creditrisk systems which monitor and report on various accounts associatedwith the player. It should be appreciated that while described as thegaming establishment fund management system being in communication withone or more credit systems and/or one or more credit reporting/creditrisk systems, in different embodiments, any component or sub-systemdescribed herein can be in communication with one or more credit systemsand/or one or more credit reporting/credit risk systems.

Incentives for Maintaining Funds in a Gaming Establishment FundManagement Account

In various embodiments, in addition to transferring any funds from agaming establishment fund management account to another accountmaintained by another component of the system, such as a cashlesswagering account maintained by a cashless wagering system, and/orestablishing or otherwise depositing an amount of funds in a gamingestablishment fund management account, the system disclosed hereinenables a user or player to request a transfer of an amount of fundsfrom a gaming establishment fund management account to one or moreexternal accounts. In these embodiments, to incentivize the user toforgo transferring an amount of funds from a gaming establishment fundmanagement account to one or more external accounts, the systemdisclosed herein offers the user one or more benefits or opportunitiesto obtain one or more benefits in exchange for not transferring theamount of funds from a gaming establishment fund management account toone or more external accounts.

FIG. 1B is a flowchart of an example process or method of operating thesystem of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the process isrepresented by a set of instructions stored in one or more memories andexecuted by one or more processors. Although the process is describedwith reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 1B, many other processesof performing the acts associated with this illustrated process may beemployed. For example, the order of certain of the illustrated blocks ordiamonds may be changed, certain of the illustrated blocks or diamondsmay be optional, or certain of the illustrated blocks or diamonds maynot be employed.

In various embodiments and as described in more detail below, the systemmaintains an amount of funds in a gaming establishment fund managementaccount in association with a user as indicated in block 150 of FIG. 1B.In certain embodiments, the system enables the user to utilize a mobiledevice to view an amount of funds maintained in the gaming establishmentfund management account associated with that user an external account.For example, as seen in FIG. 2A, a mobile device application 220 of amobile device 210 displays a message to the user that they have anaccount balance of $865.15 in their gaming establishment fund managementaccount 230 a.

In these embodiments, upon an occurrence of an external accountdestination fund transfer event, the system determines whether to offerthe user an incentive to not transfer the amount of funds from thegaming establishment fund management account associated with the user asindicated in diamond 152 of FIG. 1B. That is, upon a determination thatan amount of funds have been requested to be transferred to an externalaccount or will likely be requested to be transferred to an externalaccount, the system determines whether or not to offer the user anincentive to keep part or all of such funds in the gaming establishmentfund management account associated with the user. In variousembodiments, this determination is based on one or more criteria, suchas, but not limited to: the amount of the funds to be transferred, theidentity of the user, an amount of transactional activity associatedwith the user, an amount of transactional activity associated with thegaming establishment fund management account, an amount of funds alreadymaintained in various gaming establishment fund management accountsassociated with various users, when such a transfer would occur, and/orany costs associated with the transfer.

In various embodiments, an external account destination fund transferevent occurs based on a user making one or more inputs to request anamount of funds to be transferred from the gaming establishment fundmanagement account to an external account. In certain embodiments, thesystem enables the user to utilize a mobile device to facilitate arequested transfer of an amount of funds from the gaming establishmentfund management account to an external account. For example, as seen inFIG. 2B, the mobile device application 220 of the mobile device 210enables a player to make one or more inputs 230 b to initiate a transferof part or all of the $865.15 balance of the gaming establishment fundmanagement account to the user's bank account.

In certain embodiments, an external account destination fund transferevent occurs based on one or more components of the system detectingthat a user has left a gaming establishment (such as via the locationbased digital wallet enabled mobile device application) or is otherwisescheduled to leave the gaming establishment within a designated periodof time (i.e., an occurrence of a gaming establishment engagementtermination event). In these embodiments, a gaming establishmentmanagement system and/or a hotel reservation system notifies the gamingestablishment fund management system (or another component of thesystem) that a user's trip to a gaming establishment is scheduled toconclude (or otherwise has concluded). As such, in these embodiments,the external account destination fund transfer event includes ananticipated external account destination fund transfer event which isdetermined not based on a user requesting the transfer of funds to anexternal account, but based on the system predicting that the user willrequest the transfer of funds to an external account.

In certain embodiments, an external account destination fund transferevent occurs based on one or more components of the system detectingthat an amount of funds have remained in a gaming establishment fundmanagement account for a designated period of time. In theseembodiments, at designated intervals of time, the system determines ifan amount of funds remain in a gaming establishment fund managementaccount associated with a user and if so, the system determines that anexternal account destination fund transfer event has occurred and theuser may receive zero, one or more incentives to continue to leave suchfunds in the gaming establishment fund management account. As such, auser whom decides to leave an amount of funds in a gaming establishmentfund management account may be the recipient of a plurality ofincentives associated with the user over a designated period of time.For example, if the system conducts monthly drawings for awards inassociation with funds held in various gaming establishment fundmanagement accounts, a user whom decides to leave an amount of funds ina gaming establishment fund management account may receive entries foreach of such drawings so long as the amount of funds remain in thegaming establishment fund management account associated with that user.

In certain embodiments, the user requests that an amount of funds betransferred from a gaming establishment fund management account to oneor more external accounts upon the user's departure from the gamingestablishment when making a reservation for the user's stay at thegaming establishment. For example, when making the reservation for theuser's stay at the gaming establishment, the system may enable the userto designate that any remaining funds in one or more gamingestablishment accounts, such as any amount of funds remaining in acashless wagering account, be automatically transferred back to theirassociated bank account one day after checking out of the gamingestablishment. In another embodiment, the user requests that an amountof funds be transferred from a gaming establishment account to one ormore external accounts upon the user's departure from the gamingestablishment when initially setting up the gaming establishment fundmanagement account. In another embodiment, the user requests that anamount of funds be transferred from a gaming establishment fundmanagement account to one or more external accounts upon the user'sdeparture from the gaming establishment responsive to one or more inputsmade by the user following a notification communicated to the user. Inthis embodiment, upon the gaming establishment management system and/orthe hotel reservation system determining that a user's trip to a gamingestablishment is scheduled to conclude in a designated period of time,the gaming establishment management system and/or the hotel reservationsystem communicates an approval message to the user in any suitablemanner, such as through telephone, e-mail, SMS or text messages, socialmedia postings or any other suitable medium. In this embodiment, theapproval message requires the user to take one or more actions toconfirm the request that an amount of funds be transferred from a gamingestablishment fund management account to one or more external accounts.

If the system determines not to offer the user any incentive to forgotransferring the amount of funds from the gaming establishment fundmanagement account associated with the user, the system proceeds withfacilitating any requested transfer of an amount of funds from thegaming establishment fund management account associated with the user tothe external account designated by the user as indicated in block 154 ofFIG. 1B. For example, if the system utilizes a threshold amount of fundsto determine whether or not to offer the incentive to the user and theamount of funds currently held in the gaming establishment fundmanagement account associated with the user is less than this thresholdamount of funds, the system proceeds with initiating a transfer of thefunds from the gaming establishment fund management account associatedwith the user to the external account. In another example, if the systemdetermines that the user does not qualify for any incentives, such asbased on the user's previously opting out of participation in theincentive program, the system proceeds with initiating a transfer of thefunds from the gaming establishment fund management account associatedwith the user to the external account.

On the other hand, if the system determines to offer an incentive to auser to forgo transferring an amount of funds from a gamingestablishment fund management account associated with the user to anexternal account, as indicated in block 156, the system determines anincentive for the user.

In certain embodiments, the determination of the incentive is based onthe amount of funds in the gaming establishment fund management accountmaintained for the user, wherein different amounts of funds areassociated with different incentives. In certain embodiments, thedetermination of the incentive is additionally or alternatively based onthe identity of the user. In one such embodiment, different users havingdifferent status with the gaming establishment are offered differentincentives. In another such embodiment, the system determines theincentive based on the historical preferences of the user. In certainembodiments, the determination of the incentive is additionally oralternatively based on one or more parameters of the gamingestablishment, such as when the incentive is determined, the amount offunds currently maintained in the various gaming establishment fundmanagement accounts associated with various users and the current rateof return the gaming establishment is realizing on the amount of fundsin the various gaming establishment fund management accounts associatedwith various users.

In certain embodiments, the determined incentive includes an entry in adrawing. In one such embodiment, a quantity of entries in the drawing isbased on the amount of funds in the gaming establishment fund managementaccount maintained for the user, wherein different amounts of funds areassociated with different quantities of drawing entries. For example,the system determines an entry into a drawing for each dollar which auser decides to retain in a gaming establishment fund managementaccount. In another such embodiment, a quantity of entries in thedrawing is additionally or alternatively based on an identification ofthe user, such as based on a player tracking status of the user and/or afrequency which the user transacts with the gaming establishment,wherein different users are associated with different quantities ofdrawing entries.

In certain embodiments, the determined incentive includes one or moresubsequent plays of a game of chance. In one such embodiment, a quantityof plays of the game of chance is based on the amount of funds in thegaming establishment fund management account maintained for the user,wherein different amounts of funds are associated with differentquantities of plays of the game of chance. In another such embodiment, aquantity of plays of the game of chance is additionally or alternativelybased on an identification of the user, such as based on a playertracking status of the user and/or a frequency which the user transactswith the gaming establishment, wherein different users are associatedwith different quantities of plays of the game of chance. In certainembodiments, the determined incentive includes one or more free (orreduced cost) plays of one or more games of chance the next time theuser visits the gaming establishment. In certain other embodiments, thedetermined incentive includes one or more free (or reduced cost) playsof one or more online games of chance accessible remote from the gamingestablishment. In these embodiments, such games of chance include, butare not limited to: a play of any suitable slot game; a play of anysuitable wheel game; a play of any suitable card game; a play of anysuitable offer and acceptance game; a play of any suitable award laddergame; a play of any suitable puzzle-type game; a play of any suitablepersistence game; a play of any suitable selection game; a play of anysuitable cascading symbols game; a play of any suitable ways to wingame; a play of any suitable scatter pay game; a play of any suitablecoin-pusher game; a play of any suitable elimination game; a play of anysuitable stacked wilds game; a play of any suitable trail game; a playof any suitable bingo game; a play of any suitable video scratch-offgame; a play of any suitable pick-until-complete game; a play of anysuitable shooting simulation game; a play of any suitable racing game; aplay of any suitable promotional game; a play of any suitable high-lowgame; a play of any suitable lottery game; a play of any suitable numberselection game; a play of any suitable dice game; a play of any suitableskill game; a play of any suitable auction game; a play of any suitablereverse-auction game; a play of any suitable group game; a play of anysuitable game in a service window; a play of any suitable game on amobile device; and/or a play of any suitable game disclosed herein.

It should be appreciated that in these embodiments, since one or moreentries into one or more drawings and one or more plays of one or moregames of chance may or may not result in an award for the user, suchincentives are opportunities to obtain one or more benefits inassociation with forgoing the transfer of an amount of funds from agaming establishment fund management account associated with the user toan external account. That is, while such incentives have an averageexpected value (i.e., a theoretical value which is based on the awardsavailable and the probability of obtaining any of such awards), sinceone or more random determinations subsequently occur in association withthe determined incentive and an actual value of the determined incentive(i.e., the benefit associated with the determined incentive) is based onthe results of such random determinations (wherein the actual value maybe a lucrative value or a value of zero), these determined incentivesmay be viewed as opportunities to obtain a benefit.

In certain embodiments, the determined incentive includes a conditionalaward that the user becomes eligible for based on the satisfaction ofone or more criteria. For example, if a user associated with anincentive of a conditional award places a wager on a play of a game atthe gaming establishment while retaining a positive gaming establishmentfund management account balance on the same day which an incentive baseddrawing occurs, the system determines that the criteria associated withthe conditional award is satisfied and the conditional award vests(i.e., the award becomes available to the user). In another example, ifa user associated with an incentive of a conditional award retains fundsat or above a threshold amount in a gaming establishment fund managementaccount balance on the same day which an incentive based drawing occurs(and/or for a designated period of time), the system determines that thecriteria associated with the conditional award is satisfied and theconditional award vests (i.e., the award becomes available to the user).In another example, if a user associated with an incentive of aconditional award retains funds at or above a threshold amount in agaming establishment fund management account balance while taking one ormore actions on social media within a designated period of time (e.g.,share a social media post regarding the gaming establishment or commenton a social media post associated with the gaming establishment), thesystem determines that the criteria associated with the conditionalaward is satisfied and the conditional award vests (i.e., the awardbecomes available to the user). It should be appreciated that anysuitable criteria associated with the gaming establishment, associatedwith an entity having a relationship with the gaming establishment orindependent of the gaming establishment may be utilized to determinewhether or not the user satisfies such criteria and thus becomeseligible to win the conditional award.

In certain embodiments, the determined incentive includes a quantity ofplayer tracking points (or other comps, such as a waiver of futuretransfer fees associated with transferring an amount of funds to and/orfrom an external account). In these embodiments, to entice a user to optagainst transferring an amount of funds from a gaming establishment fundmanagement account associated with the user to an external account, thesystem determines an incentive of an additional quantity of playertracking points (i.e., a player tracking point interest payment). Invarious embodiments, the determined incentive is based on the balance offunds held in the gaming establishment fund management account over aperiod of time and/or the balance of player tracking points associatedwith the user. In certain embodiments, different amounts of funds heldin a gaming establishment fund management account are associated withdifferent player tracking point interest percentages provided as anamount of player tracking points. In certain additional or alternativeembodiments, different periods of time which such amounts of funds areheld in a gaming establishment fund management account are associatedwith different player tracking point interest percentages provided as anamount of player tracking points.

In certain embodiments, the determined incentive includes a playertracking point (or other comps) modifier applicable to a quantity ofplayer tracking points (or other comps) subsequently earned by the user.In these embodiments, in exchange for a user opting against transferringan amount of funds from a gaming establishment fund management accountassociated with the user to an external account, the system determinesan incentive of a player tracking point modifier which can be activatedwhen the user next visits the gaming establishment (or otherwise playsan online game associated with earning player tracking points of thegaming establishment). In certain embodiments, the determined incentiveadditionally or alternatively includes a player tracking point (or othercomps) modifier applicable to a quantity of player tracking points (orother comps) previously earned by the user. In these embodiments, inexchange for a user opting against transferring an amount of funds froma gaming establishment fund management account associated with the userto an external account, the system determines an incentive of a playertracking point modifier which can be activated against previously earnedplaying tracking points (and/or subsequently earned player trackingpoints when the user next visits the gaming establishment (or otherwiseplays an online game associated with earning player tracking points ofthe gaming establishment)). In certain embodiments, different amounts offunds held in a gaming establishment fund management account areassociated with different player tracking point modifiers. In certainadditional or alternative embodiments, different periods of time whichsuch amounts of funds are held in a gaming establishment fund managementaccount are associated with different player tracking point modifiers.

In certain embodiments, the determined incentive includes a quantity ofpromotional credits usable to fund one or more plays of one or moregames of chance the next time the user visits the gaming establishment.In certain other embodiments, the determined incentive additionally oralternatively includes a quantity of promotional credits usable to fundone or more plays of one or more online games of chance accessibleremote from the gaming establishment. In certain embodiments, differentamounts of funds held in a gaming establishment fund management accountare associated with different quantities of promotional credits. Incertain additional or alternative embodiments, different periods of timewhich such amounts of funds are held in a gaming establishment fundmanagement account are associated with different quantities ofpromotional credits. It should be appreciated that while suchpromotional credits have an actual value (i.e., the average expectedvalue of the game(s) played which are funded by such promotionalcredits), since the games played using such promotional credits mayresult in one or more awards different than the average expected valueof such games, the user may ultimately realize a different valuedbenefit in exchange for the user opting against transferring an amountof funds from a gaming establishment fund management account associatedwith the user to an external account. For example, if a user obtains aquantity of promotional credits in exchange for not transferring anamount of funds from a gaming establishment fund management accountassociated with the user to an external account and the usersubsequently wins a progressive award during a play of a game funded bysuch a quantity of promotional credits, the user has indirectly realizeda benefit valued at the progressive award amount for not transferring anamount of funds from a gaming establishment fund management accountassociated with the user to an external account.

In certain embodiments, the determined incentive includes a quantity ofvirtual credits usable for a play of a social or non-wagering game. Incertain embodiments, different amounts of funds held in a gamingestablishment fund management account are associated with differentquantities of virtual credits earned as incentives and usable for a playof a social or non-wagering game. In certain additional or alternativeembodiments, different periods of time which such amounts of funds areheld in a gaming establishment fund management account are associatedwith different quantities of virtual credits usable for a play of asocial or non-wagering game.

In certain embodiments, the determined incentive includes feature usablein association with a future play of a game. That is, the determinedincentive is associated with one or more plays of one or more gamesaccessible at a future point in time, such as a modification to one ormore game play features and/or an addition of one or more game playfeatures. In certain of these embodiments, the determined incentiveincludes altering or otherwise modify one or more features, aspects orparameters of one or more subsequently played games. In theseembodiments, a determined incentive includes any suitable feature whichmodifies any aspect of any game subsequently played by the user which isassociated with the offered incentive. In various embodiments, one ormore features employed as a determined incentive to modify one or moreaspects of one or more such games subsequently played include, but arenot limited to: a feature modifying one or more symbols available to begenerated for a subsequent play of a game associated with the offeredincentive; a feature modifying one or more wild symbols available to begenerated for a subsequent play of a game associated with the offeredincentive; a feature modifying a quantity of reels to be used for asubsequent play of a game associated with the offered incentive; afeature modifying which of a plurality of reel are to be used for asubsequent play of a game associated with the offered incentive; afeature modifying a deck of playing cards to be used for a subsequentplay of a game associated with the offered incentive; a featuremodifying a quantity of playing cards to be used for a subsequent playof a game associated with the offered incentive; a feature modifying aquantity of poker hands to be dealt for a subsequent play of a gameassociated with the offered incentive; a book-end wild symbols feature;a stacked wild symbols feature; an expanding wild symbols feature; aretrigger symbol feature; an anti-terminator symbol feature; a lockingreel feature, a locking symbol position feature; a modifier, such as amultiplier, feature; a feature modifying an amount of credits of acredit balance; a feature modifying an amount of promotional credits; afeature modifying a placed wager amount; a feature modifying a placedside wager amount; a feature modifying a rate of earning player trackingpoints; a feature modifying a rate of earning promotional credits; afeature modifying a rate of earning virtual credits; a feature modifyinga number of wagered on paylines; a feature modifying a wager placed onone or more paylines (or on one or more designated paylines); a featuremodifying a number of ways to win wagered on; a feature modifying awager placed on one or more ways to win (or on one or more designatedways to win); a feature modifying an average expected payback percentageof a subsequent play of a game associated with the offered incentive; afeature modifying an average expected payout of a subsequent play of agame associated with the offered incentive; a feature modifying one ormore awards available; a feature modifying a range of awards available;a feature modifying a type of awards available; a feature modifying oneor more progressive awards; a feature modifying which progressive awardsare available to be won; a feature modifying one or more modifiers, suchas multipliers, available; a feature modifying an activation of a reel(or a designated reel); a feature modifying an activation of a pluralityof reels; a feature modifying a generated outcome (or a designatedgenerated outcome); a feature modifying a generated outcome (or adesignated generated outcome) associated with an award over a designatedvalue; a feature modifying a generated outcome (or a designatedgenerated outcome) on a designated payline; a feature modifying agenerated outcome (or a designated generated outcome) in a scatterconfiguration; a feature modifying a winning way to win (or a designatedwinning way to win); a feature modifying a designated symbol or symbolcombination; a feature modifying a generation of a designated symbol orsymbol combination on a designated payline; a feature modifying ageneration of a designated symbol or symbol combination in a scatterconfiguration; a feature modifying a triggering event of a play of asecondary or bonus game; a feature modifying an activation of asecondary or bonus display (such as an award generator); a featuremodifying a quantity of activations of a secondary or bonus display(e.g., a feature modifying a quantity of spins of an award generator); afeature modifying a quantity of sections of a secondary or bonus display(e.g., a feature modifying a quantity of sections of an awardgenerator); a feature modifying one or more awards of a secondary orbonus display; a feature modifying an activation of a community awardgenerator; a feature modifying a quantity of activations of a communityaward generator; a feature modifying a quantity of sections of acommunity award generator; a feature modifying one or more awards of acommunity award generator; a feature modifying a generated outcome (or adesignated generated outcome) in a secondary game; a feature modifying aquantity of picks in a selection game; a feature modifying a quantity ofoffers in an offer and acceptance game; a feature modifying a quantityof moves in a trail game; a feature modifying an amount of free spinsprovided; a feature modifying a game terminating or ending condition; afeature modifying an availability of a secondary game; and/or a featuremodifying any game play feature associated with any play of any gamedisclosed herein.

It should be appreciated that in these embodiments, since theconditional prize, the player tracking points, the promotional credits,the virtual credits, the player tracking point modifier and thefeature(s) have static values, such incentives are associated with knownbenefits associated with forgoing the transfer of an amount of fundsfrom a gaming establishment fund management account associated with theuser to an external account(with or without the subsequent satisfactionof one or more conditions). That is, unlike certain incentives, such asan entry into a drawing or a play of a game of chance, which may resultin the user obtaining no value for forgoing the transfer of an amount offunds from the gaming establishment fund management account associatedwith the user to the external account (i.e., a zero value benefit) orwhich may result in the user obtaining a positive valued benefit forforgoing the transfer of an amount of funds from the gamingestablishment fund management account associated with the user to theexternal account (and thus represent opportunities to obtain a benefitin association with forgoing the transfer of an amount of funds from thegaming establishment fund management account associated with the user tothe external account), other incentives, such as a quantity of playertracking points or a quantity of virtual credits will result in the userobtaining value (upon the satisfaction of zero, one or more conditions)(and thus represent benefits associated with forgoing the transfer of anamount of funds from the gaming establishment fund management accountassociated with the user to the external account).

In certain embodiments, the funding of the determined incentive is basedon a percentage of the amounts held in the gaming establishment fundmanagement accounts associated with a plurality of different users whomhave opted into obtaining a benefit or a chance to obtain a benefit inexchange for forgoing the transfer of an amount of funds from the gamingestablishment fund management account associated with that user to anexternal account. For example, if a gaming establishment has $50,000,000held in the gaming establishment fund management accounts associatedwith a plurality of different participating users, the gamingestablishment determines that, based on the gaming establishment'sexpected return of 1.355% to use such funds for 91 days (in the form ofpurchasing a 91 day U.S. Treasury Bill), $338,750 (0.6775%×$50,000,000)is available every three months to be provided as incentive. In thisexample, the system utilizes such available funds to offer monthlydrawings of $100,000 to participating users whom choose to obtain abenefit or a chance to obtain a benefit in exchange for forgoing thetransfer of an amount of funds from the gaming establishment fundmanagement account associated with that user to an external account.

In certain embodiments, the funding of the determined incentive isadditionally or alternatively based on an amount of gaming establishmentmarketing funds (i.e., funds contributed from a gaming establishmentmarketing department).

In certain embodiments, the funding of the determined incentive isadditionally or alternatively based on transaction fees imposed onbanking network transfers to and from the various gaming establishmentfund management accounts. For example, if the gaming establishmentimposes a $0.25 transaction fee on every transfer of funds to and from agaming establishment account maintained by the gaming establishment, apercentage of such transaction fees paid by players fund the determinedincentive. In one such embodiment, the system varies the transactionfees imposed based on the direction of fund transfer to furtherincentive players to forgoing the transfer of an amount of funds fromthe gaming establishment fund management account associated with thatuser to an external account. For example, the gaming establishmentimposes a $0.25 transaction fee on every transfer of funds to a gamingestablishment account maintained by the gaming establishment from anexternal account and a $0.50 transaction fee on every transfer of fundsto an external account from a gaming establishment account maintained bythe gaming establishment wherein a percentage of such transaction feespaid by players fund the determined incentive.

In certain embodiments, the funding of the determined incentive isadditionally or alternatively based on the savings (or a portion of thesavings) which the gaming establishment realizes by avoiding having topay transaction fees imposed on banking network transfers to and fromthe various gaming establishment fund management accounts.

Following the determination of the incentive for the user, the systemoffers the determined incentive to the user as indicated in block 158 ofFIG. 1B. For example, as seen in FIG. 2C, following the determinationthat a user has indicated that they want to transfer the $865.15 balanceof their Resort Wallet to their banking account, (i.e., an occurrence ofan anticipated external account destination fund transfer event), thegaming establishment management system communicates data to the user'smobile device, wherein the mobile device application 220 of the mobiledevice 210 proceeds to display an offer 230 c to the user ofeight-hundred-sixty-five entries in a drawing to win $100,000 inexchange for the user not transferring the resort wallet account balanceof $865.15 to any external accounts, such as the user's bank checkingaccount.

After offering the determined incentive to the user, if the user decidesto proceed with any requested or scheduled transfer of funds, the systemproceeds with facilitating any requested transfer of an amount of fundsfrom the gaming establishment fund management account associated withthe user to the external accounts designated by the user as indicated indiamond 160 and block 154 of FIG. 1B.

On the other hand, if the user decides to forgo the requested orscheduled transfer of funds, the system associates the determinedincentive with the user and then periodically determines if an incentiverealization event occurs in associated with the one or more incentivesassociated with the user as indicated in diamonds 160 and 162.

In certain embodiments, the incentive realization event occurs based onan elapsed period of time. For example, if the determined incentive isassociated with satisfying the condition of retaining an amount of fundsin a gaming establishment fund management account for a designatedperiod of time and that period of time has elapsed, the systemdetermines that an incentive realization event has occurred. In certainembodiments, the incentive realization event additionally oralternatively occurs based on the satisfaction of one or more conditionsassociated with the determined incentive. For example, if the determinedincentive is associated with a user satisfying one or more conditions toearn the incentive, the system determines that an incentive realizationevent has occurred upon the user's satisfaction of those conditions. Incertain embodiments wherein the determined incentive is earned upon theuser's acceptance of the offer to forgo the transfer of an amount offunds from the gaming establishment fund management account associatedwith the user to the external account, the incentive realization eventoccurs upon the user's acceptance of that offer.

As indicated by diamond 162 of FIG. 1B, if the system determines that noincentive realization event occurred in associated with the one or moreincentives associated with the user, the system continues toperiodically determine if an incentive realization event occurs inassociated with the one or more incentives associated with the user. Forexample, if the system determines that the drawing to which the user hasone or more entries has not occurred, the system continues to monitorfor the occurrence of the drawing (i.e., the occurrence of an incentiverealization event).

On the other hand, if the system determines that an incentiverealization event occurred in associated with the one or more incentivesassociated with the user, the system determines and displays, for eachincentive associated with the user, any benefit associated with thatincentive as indicated in blocks 164 and 166. For example, if thedetermined incentive is associating a quantity of entries in a drawingwith the user and the system determines that the drawing to which theuser has one or more entries has occurred (i.e., the occurrence of anincentive realization event), the system determines whether any of theentries associated with the user are randomly determined winning entriesassociated with an award. In this example, if the system determines thatone of the eight-hundred-sixty-five entries associated with the user inexchange for the user agreeing not to transfer the $865.15 from theresort wallet account to an external account is the winning entry of thedrawing, the system causes the associated award of $100,000 to beavailable to the user. As seen in FIG. 2D, the gaming establishmentmanagement system of this example communicates data to the user's mobiledevice, wherein the mobile device application 220 of the mobile device210 proceeds to display a message to the user 230d that one of theeight-hundred-sixty-five entries in the drawing to win $100,000 was thewinning entry and thus in exchange for the user not transferring thecashless wagering account balance of $865.15 to any external accountsthe user is provided a benefit of $100,000.

In certain embodiments, as indicated above, the determined incentiveincludes an entry into a drawing for an award. In certain of theseembodiments, the drawing includes the single selection of an entry for asingle user to win an award. In certain of these embodiments, thedrawing includes multiple selections of multiple entries for one or moreusers to win one or more awards. It should be appreciated that whileillustrating as offering the user entries into a drawing to win a staticaward amount, in various embodiments, the entries into the drawing areto win one or more of a quantity of player tracking points, one or moreplayer tracking point multipliers, a quantity of comps, a quantity ofpromotional credits, an increased player tracking rank at a gamingestablishment for a period of time, a quantity of credits useable in anassociated social/mobile game, a non-cash award, such as an automobile,a house, and/or a vacation.

It should be further appreciated that in certain embodiments wherein theoffered incentive is provided to the user upon the occurrence of theincentive realization event, the determined and displayed benefitassociated with the incentive is the previously determined incentive.For example, if the determined incentive is a quantity of playertracking points, then upon the occurrence of the incentive realizationevent (such as a required elapsed amount of time which the funds mustremain in the gaming establishment fund management account associatedwith the user), the quantity of player tracking points are deposited inthe player tracking account associated with the user. On the other hand,in certain embodiments wherein the offered incentive represents anopportunity to obtain a benefit, the determined and displayed benefitassociated with the incentive may be different than the previouslydetermined incentive. In one example, if the determined incentive is aplay of a game of chance, then upon the occurrence of the incentiverealization event (such as the play of the game of chance following anelapsed amount of time which the funds must remain in the gamingestablishment fund management account associated with the user), anaward is determined in association with the play of the game of chancewherein the award (i.e., the benefit associated with the previouslydetermined incentive) may be the same as or different than the averageexpected value of the play of the game of chance (i.e., a benefitexpected to be associated with the previously determined incentive).

Funds Transferred to Gaming Establishment Fund Management Account

In various embodiments, prior to obtaining any benefits or opportunitiesto obtain any benefits in association with forgoing the transfer of anamount of funds from a gaming establishment account associated with theuser, such as a gaming establishment fund management account, to anexternal account, an amount of funds must first be established orotherwise deposited in the gaming establishment account.

In certain embodiments, the gaming establishment fund management accountis associated with one or more external accounts, such as one or morecredit card accounts, one or more debit card accounts and/or one or morethird-party maintained accounts (e.g., one or more PayPal® accounts orVenmo® accounts). In certain embodiments, the gaming establishment fundmanagement account is associated with a gaming establishment or a groupof gaming establishments, wherein the player establishes a gamingestablishment fund management account by a deposit of funds (such as ata kiosk) to be subsequently utilized in association with the mobiledevice application. In other embodiments, the gaming establishment fundmanagement account is funded via a mobile device electronic fundtransfer, such using Apple Pay™ or Android Pay™. It should beappreciated that in different embodiments, the system utilizes a mobiledevice running a mobile device application, a kiosk, an EGM, a remotehost controller service window displayed by an EGM and/or a gamingestablishment interface to facilitate the transfer of funds from athird-party account.

In certain embodiments, the system enables funds to be deposited in agaming establishment fund management account via an EGM. In certainembodiments, the system enables a player that has an amount of cash toutilize an EGM to convert the cash to an amount deposited into a gamingestablishment fund management account (which may be subsequentlytransferred back to the EGM utilizing a mobile device application). Inother embodiments, the system enables funds to be deposited in a gamingestablishment fund management account via an EGM that accepts printedticket vouchers. In these embodiments, the system enables a player thathas one or more printed ticket vouchers to utilize an EGM to convert theprinted ticket voucher to an amount deposited into a gamingestablishment fund management account (which may be subsequentlytransferred back to the EGM utilizing a mobile device application).

In certain embodiments, the system enables funds to be deposited in agaming establishment fund management account via a gaming establishmentinterface, such as a casino desk. In certain embodiments, the systemenables a player that has an amount of cash to utilize a gamingestablishment interface, such as a casino desk to convert the cash to anamount deposited into a gaming establishment fund management account(which may be subsequently transferred to an EGM utilizing a mobiledevice application). In other embodiments, the system enables funds tobe deposited in a gaming establishment fund management account via agaming establishment interface that accepts printed ticket vouchers. Inthese embodiments, the system enables a player that has one or moreprinted ticket vouchers to utilize a gaming establishment interface toconvert the printed ticket voucher to an amount deposited into a gamingestablishment fund management account (which may be subsequentlytransferred to an EGM utilizing a mobile device application).

In certain embodiments, the system enables funds to be deposited in agaming establishment fund management account via a kiosk that acceptsmoney. In certain embodiments, the system enables a player that has anamount of cash to utilize a kiosk to convert the cash to an amountdeposited into a gaming establishment fund management account (which maybe subsequently transferred to an EGM utilizing a mobile deviceapplication). In other embodiments, the system enables funds to bedeposited in a gaming establishment fund management account via a kioskthat accepts printed ticket vouchers. In certain embodiments, the systemenables a player that has one or more printed ticket vouchers to utilizea kiosk to convert the printed ticket voucher to an amount depositedinto a gaming establishment fund management account (which may besubsequently transferred to an EGM utilizing a mobile deviceapplication).

In certain embodiments, the gaming establishment fund management accountis associated with funds associated with one or more virtual ticketvouchers. In certain embodiments, the system enables a player associatedwith an amount of virtual ticket vouchers to utilize an EGM, a mobiledevice running a mobile device application, a kiosk and/or a gamingestablishment interface to convert the virtual ticket vouchers to anamount deposited into a gaming establishment fund management account.Detailed examples of virtual ticket vouchers and wireless communicationprotocols associated with such virtual ticket vouchers are described in:(i) U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2013/0023339, entitled“METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SECURE LOGON TO A GAMING MACHINEUSING A MOBILE DEVICE”; (ii) U.S. Published Patent Application No.2014/0162768, entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SECURE LOGONTO A GAMING MACHINE USING A MOBILE DEVICE”; (iii) U.S. Pat. No.8,956,222, entitled “MOBILE DEVICE INTERFACES AT AN ELECTRONIC GAMINGMACHINE”; (iv) U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2013/0260889,entitled “EMAILING OR TEXTING AS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MOBILE DEVICE ANDEGM”; (v) U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2013/0065668, entitled“REDEMPTION OF VIRTUAL TICKETS USING A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE”; (vi)U.S. Patent No. 2014/0121005, entitled “VIRTUAL TICKET-IN AND TICKET-OUTON A GAMING MACHINE”; (vii) U.S. Published Patent Application No.2013/0065678, entitled “RETROFIT DEVICES FOR PROVIDING VIRTUAL TICKET-INAND TICKET-OUT ON A GAMING MACHINE”; (viii) U.S. Published PatentApplication No. 2013/0065686, entitled “BILL ACCEPTORS AND PRINTERS FORPROVIDING VIRTUAL TICKET-IN AND TICKET-OUT ON A GAMING MACHINE”; (ix)U.S. Pat. No. 8,961,306, entitled “FEEDBACK TO PLAYER OF DEVICECONNECTION STATE”; (x) U.S. Pat. No. 8,613,668, entitled “DIRECTIONALWIRELESS COMMUNICATION”; (xi) U.S. Published Patent Application No.2013/0316808, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENTERING SENSITIVE DATAFOR AN ELECTRONIC GAMING MACHINE FROM A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE”;(xii) U.S. Pat. No. 8,622,836, entitled “USE OF WIRELESS SIGNAL STRENGTHTO DETERMINE CONNECTION”; and (xiii) U.S. Published Patent ApplicationNo. 2014/0248941, entitled “TRANSFER VERIFICATION OF MOBILE PAYMENTS”.

In certain embodiments, the system enables a player to fund the gamingestablishment fund management account independent of the mobile deviceand independent of the mobile device application. In certain otherembodiments, the system enables a player to utilize a mobile devicerunning a mobile device application to fund the gaming establishmentfund management account. More specifically and utilizing the example ofa kiosk, in one embodiment, to utilize a mobile device and a kiosk tofacilitate the funding of a gaming establishment fund managementaccount, the player wirelessly pairs or otherwise connects a mobiledevice with a kiosk. In one example embodiment, the player moves themobile device into the range of a wireless receiver of the kiosk. Thekiosk and the launched or activated mobile device application of themobile device negotiate a secure, authenticated connection with theproper functionality, versions and security settings. It should beappreciated that the kiosk wirelessly connects with the mobile devicerunning the mobile device application in the same or similar fashion tohow a mobile device is paired or connected with an EGM as describedherein.

After connecting the mobile device to the kiosk, the kiosk prompts theplayer to deposit an amount of funds into the kiosk. In one suchembodiment, the kiosk prompts the player to insert one or more billsinto a bill acceptor of the kiosk. In another such embodiment, the kioskadditionally or alternatively prompts the player to deposit a physicalticket voucher (associated with an amount of funds) into the kiosk. Inanother such embodiment, the kiosk additionally or alternatively promptsthe player to deposit a card associated with an external account, suchas a credit card or debit card into the kiosk. In another suchembodiment, the kiosk additionally or alternatively prompts the playerto enter information associated with an external account, such as acredit card account, a PayPal® account, a Venmo® account, or a debitcard account into the kiosk. In another such embodiment, the kioskadditionally or alternatively prompts the player to deposit an amount offunds into the kiosk using a mobile device electronic fund transfer,such using Apple Pay™ or Android Pay™.

In one embodiment, after a first amount of funds is accepted, such asafter a first bill or unit of currency is accepted, by the kiosk, thekiosk and/or the mobile device application enable the player to transferthe deposited amount of funds (e.g., a “Load Phone Now” button) orcontinue to deposit additional amounts of funds with the kiosk. Inanother embodiment, for each amount of funds accepted by the kiosk, suchas for each bill or unit of currency accepted by the kiosk, a virtualticket voucher is created and deposited in the gaming establishment fundmanagement account.

In certain embodiments, upon receiving an amount of funds from theplayer and the player indicating to transfer the deposited amount offunds in association with the mobile device application, the kioskcommunicates with one or more servers to transfer an amount of money toa gaming establishment fund management account (to be drawn upon fromthe mobile device application as described herein). In another suchembodiment, upon receiving an amount of funds from the player and theplayer indicating to transfer the deposited amount of funds inassociation with an account or balance associated with the mobile deviceapplication, the kiosk communicates with one or more servers, such as avirtual ticket voucher server, to create a virtual ticket voucherassociated with the amount of received currency. The system disclosedherein transfers the created virtual ticket voucher to the gamingestablishment fund management account.

It should be appreciated that while the above example embodiments aredescribed in relation to utilizing a mobile device to facilitate thetransferring one or more amounts of money or units of currency from akiosk to a gaming establishment fund management account, such exampleembodiments may also be used to transfer, either as an isolatedtransaction or as part of an operation mode of the EGM, one or moreamounts of money or units of currency from an EGM to a gamingestablishment fund management account and/or from a gaming establishmentinterface, such as a casino desk, to a gaming establishment fundmanagement account.

In certain embodiments, the system includes an automatic reload featurewherein if a gaming establishment fund management account falls below athreshold level, the system automatically transfers an amount from theexternal account, a gaming establishment retail account and/or acashless wagering account to the gaming establishment fund managementaccount. It should be appreciated that, in certain embodiments, thesystem enables the player to enable or disable such an automatic reloadfeature.

Linking Mobile Device to EGM

In various embodiments, in addition to establishing an amount of fundsin one or more accounts of the system and offering zero, one or moreincentives for forgoing the transfer of an amount of funds from a gamingestablishment account associated with the user to an external account,the system disclosed enables funds to be transferred between differentcomponents within the system via the utilization of a mobile device. Inthese embodiments, prior to enabling a player to take any action relatedto the gaming system (such as using a mobile device to facilitate atransfer of funds from a cashless wagering account to an EGM), a pairingor linkage occurs between the mobile device and the EGM. The pairing orlinkage between the mobile device and the EGM occurs via one or moreapplications being run or executed on the mobile device.

In certain embodiments, the mobile device application utilized totransfer funds to and from an EGM is a location based digital walletenabled application, such as a Passbook-enabled or Wallet-enabledapplication, which is accessible when the player enters a gamingestablishment. In certain embodiments, the mobile device applicationutilized to transfer funds to and from an EGM is downloaded to themobile device from an application store. In certain embodiments, themobile device application utilized to transfer funds to and from an EGMis downloaded to the mobile device from one or more websites affiliatedwith the gaming establishment (which are accessible directly by theplayer and/or by a link opened when the player scans a QR codeassociated with the EGM).

In certain embodiments, after a player has opened an application on amobile device and selected an action to be performed, the systemdetermines if the mobile device application is associated with an activeauthorization token previously created by the system. In theseembodiments, an authorization token is a time-based token which expiresafter a designated period of time and which is associated with anadditional level of player authentication beyond a player's applicationusername and application password.

If the system determines that the application is not associated with anactive authorization token previously created by the system, the mobiledevice application prompts the player to provide identifyinginformation, such as a personal identification number or biometricidentifier. The mobile device application stores the providedidentifying information as mobile device encrypted data. Following theplayer providing identifying information, the mobile device applicationprompts the player to cause the mobile device to engage the EGM (or acomponent of the EGM), such as prompting the player to tap the mobiledevice to a designated portion of the EGM. It should be appreciated thatany reference herein to a player tapping the mobile device to adesignated portion of the EGM (or a component of the EGM) may or may notinclude the player pressing a fingerprint scanner (if the mobile deviceis equipped with such a fingerprint scanner) while concurrently engagingthe EGM (or a component of the EGM). In other embodiments, the mobiledevice application verifies the identifying information of the player bycommunicating with a verification/authentication server over one or morewireless communication protocols, such as WiFi protocol, a cellularcommunication protocol (e.g., 3G or LTE), to obtain the activeauthorization token.

In certain embodiments, following the player causing the mobile deviceto engage the EGM (e.g., the player taps the mobile device to a playertracking card reader or other designated location(s) of the EGM), themobile device application communicates, via a wireless communicationprotocol, the provided identifying information and the requested actionto be performed to the EGM (or to a component associated with the EGM).For example, upon the player tapping the mobile device to a playertracking card reader or other designated location(s) of the EGM (orotherwise moving the mobile device to within a designated distance ofthe player tracking card read or other designated locations(s) of theEGM), the mobile device application sends the identifying informationand the requested action to a component of a gaming establishmentmanagement system located inside the EGM (i.e., a component of the EGM),such as a NexGen® player tracking component of an IGT Advantage® system.NexGen® and IGT Advantage® are trademarks of IGT, the Applicant of thepresent application.

Following the communication of the identifying information and therequested action to the EGM (or a component associated with the EGM),the system determines if the identifying information is valid. Forexample, a designated gaming system component configured to operate witha player tracking system determines whether the identifying informationis valid.

If the system determines that the identifying information is invalid,the system communicates an invalid identifying information response tothe mobile device. For example, an identifying information statusmessage is communicated to the mobile device which reports whether theidentifying information is valid or invalid. The mobile deviceapplication then displays one or more messages regarding the invalididentifying information and prompts the player to provide identifyinginformation, such as a personal identification number or biometricidentifier. In certain such embodiments, if the mobile device receives acommunication that the identifying information is invalid (oralternatively in association with the initial creation of a token) andif the mobile device includes a fingerprint scanner, the mobile deviceapplication prompts the player to press the fingerprint scanner whileengaging the EGM, such as tapping the mobile device to a designatedportion of the EGM.

On the other hand, if the system determines that the identifyinginformation is valid, the system creates an authorization token. Thesystem associates the authorization token with a timestamp of when theauthorization token will expire. In certain embodiments, a cashlesssystem includes a key distribution center which generates a session keyto encrypt all cashless messages. The session key is rotatedperiodically at a configurable rate from 1 hour to 24 hours. In theseembodiments, the system utilizes this session key to sign the token dataand create a token. As such, the token time-to-live will be less than orequal to the session key rotation period. In other embodiments, suchauthorization tokens are managed utilizing software (and not a keydistribution center).

In certain embodiments, the authorization token expires after adesignated period of time as an additional level of security in thetransfer of fund data to/from the EGM which is facilitated the mobiledevice. Such a designated amount of time which an authorization tokenremains valid enables the player to move from one EGM to another EGMand, as described below, transfer funds to/from each EGM and a cashlesswagering account, without having to reprovide such identifyinginformation each time the player switches EGMs. That is, the mobiledevice application disclosed herein is configured to communicate withone or more EGMs (without having to reauthenticate itself repeatedly)during the designated amount of time which the authorization tokenremains valid.

Following the creation of an authorization token, the systemcommunicates the created authorization token to the mobile device, suchas via one or more messages including the created authorization token,for storage by the mobile device application and proceeds with executingone or more of the requested actions and communicating a requestedaction response to the mobile device. For example, upon the creation ofthe authorization token, the component of a gaming establishmentmanagement system located inside the EGM (i.e., a component of the EGM),such as a NexGen® player tracking component of an IGT Advantage® system,communicates the created authorization token to the mobile device andproceeds with executing the requested action.

On the other hand, following a determination that the mobile deviceapplication is associated with a previously created and storedauthentication token, the mobile device application prompts the playerto cause the mobile device to engage the EGM, such as prompting theplayer to tap the mobile device to a designated portion of the EGM.

Following the player causing the mobile device to engage the EGM (e.g.,the player taps the mobile device to a player tracking card reader orother designated location(s) of the EGM), the mobile device applicationcommunicates, via a wireless communication protocol, the previouslystored authorization token and the requested action to be performed tothe EGM (or to a component associated with the EGM). For example, uponthe player tapping the mobile device to a player tracking card reader orother designated location(s) of the EGM, the mobile device applicationsends the stored authorization token and the requested action to acomponent of a gaming establishment management system located inside theEGM (i.e., a component of the EGM), such as a NexGen® player trackingcomponent of an IGT Advantage® system.

Following the communication of the stored authorization token and therequested action to the EGM or a component associated with the EGM, thesystem determines if the communicated authorization token is stillvalid. For example, a gaming system component configured to operate witha player tracking system determines whether the authorization token isvalid (i.e., active and non-expired).

If the system determines that the communication authorization token isinvalid, the system communicates an invalid authorization token responseto the mobile device. The mobile device application then displays one ormore messages regarding the invalid authorization token and prompts theplayer to provide identifying information, such as a personalidentification number or biometric identifier, to obtain anotherauthentication token.

On the other hand, if the system determines that the storedauthorization token is valid, the system proceeds with executing therequested action. For example, upon the determination that thecommunicated authorization token is valid, the component of a gamingestablishment management system located inside the EGM proceeds withexecuting the requested action and communicates a requested actionresponse to the mobile device.

In certain embodiments, the system enables a player to interact with theEGM via the mobile device as described herein, without having tocontinually reengage the EGM with the mobile device for each requestedaction. In these embodiments, after initially establishing a secureconnection with the EGM, subsequent interactions between the mobiledevice application and the EGM occur without any subsequent physicalinteraction between the mobile device and the EGM. That is, to avoidhaving the player retrieve the mobile device and repeat the physicaloperation of engaging the EGM with the mobile device, certainembodiments enable the player to execute one or more functions withoutrepeating the above-described physical operation of engaging the EGMwith the mobile device. In certain such embodiments, the mobile deviceapplication utilizes one or more display devices of the EGM to displayto the player information and/or player selectable prompts which areotherwise displayable via the display device of the mobile device.

In certain other embodiments, for each interaction or requested actionbetween the EGM and the mobile device described herein, the systemrequires the player to reengage the EGM with the mobile device toreestablish or confirm the pairing between the EGM and the mobiledevice. In certain other embodiments, for each interaction between theEGM and the mobile device that occur a designated amount of time afterthe last engagement of the EGM with the mobile device, the systemrequires the player to reengage the EGM with the mobile device toreestablish or confirm the pairing between the EGM and the mobiledevice.

Utilizing Paired Mobile Device Application at EGM

In various embodiments, after pairing the mobile device with the EGM (ora component of the EGM), the mobile device application communicates oneor more requested actions to be performed to the EGM. As describedherein, such requested actions generally pertain to an action associatedwith a player account, an action associated with an initiation of atransfer of non-monetary funds (i.e., non-cashable credits), an actionassociated with an initiation of a transfer of monetary funds or anaction associated with a transfer of promotional credits. It should beappreciated that while certain data or information pertaining to one ormore of the requested actions are communicated from an EGM (or acomponent of an EGM, such as a component of a gaming establishmentmanagement system supported by or otherwise located inside the EGM) to amobile device, such data or information may additionally oralternatively be communicated: (i) from one or more servers to a mobiledevice via one or more wireless communication protocols, or (ii) from anEGM to one or more servers via one or more wireless communicationprotocols and then from one or more servers to a mobile device via oneor more wireless communication protocols.

It should additionally be appreciated that the mobile device facilitatedEGM to/from cashless wagering account fund data transfers of the presentdisclosure may occur in addition to or as an alternative from cash-basedfund transfers and/or ticket voucher-based fund transfers. In one suchembodiment, a credit balance of an EGM of the present disclosure isfunded via any of a mobile device facilitated fund transfer, acash-based fund transfer or a ticket voucher-based fund transfer. Inanother embodiment, a credit balance of an EGM of the present disclosureis cashed out via any of a mobile device facilitated fund transfer, acash-based fund transfer or a ticket voucher-based fund transfer. Inanother embodiment, a credit balance of an EGM of the present disclosureis funded via a mobile device facilitated fund transfer or a cash-basedfund transfer (but is not funded via any ticket voucher-based fundtransfer). In another embodiment, a credit balance of an EGM of thepresent disclosure is cashed out via a mobile device facilitated fundtransfer or a cash-based fund transfer (but is not cashed out via anyticket voucher-based fund transfer). In another embodiment, a creditbalance of an EGM of the present disclosure is funded via a mobiledevice facilitated fund transfer or a ticket voucher-based fund transfer(but is not funded via any cash-based fund transfer). In anotherembodiment, a credit balance of an EGM of the present disclosure iscashed out via a mobile device facilitated fund transfer or a ticketvoucher-based fund transfer (but is not cashed out via any cash-basedfund transfer). In another embodiment, a credit balance of an EGM of thepresent disclosure is funded via a mobile device facilitated fundtransfer (but is not funded via a cash-based fund transfer nor a ticketvoucher-based fund transfer). In another embodiment, a credit balance ofan EGM of the present disclosure is cashed out via a mobile devicefacilitated fund transfer (but is not cashed out via a cash-based fundtransfer nor a ticket voucher-based fund transfer).

It should be further appreciated that any functionality or processdescribed herein may be implemented via one or more servers, an EGM, oneor more components of an EGM (such as a component of a gamingestablishment management system (e.g., a player tracking unit) supportedby or otherwise located inside the EGM), or a mobile device application.For example, while certain data or information described herein isexplained as being communicated from an EGM or a component of an EGM(such as a component of a gaming establishment management system (e.g.,a player tracking unit) supported by or otherwise located inside theEGM) to a mobile device via one or more wireless communicationprotocols, such data or information may additionally or alternatively becommunicated from one or more servers to a mobile device via one or morewireless communication protocols. Accordingly: (i) while certainfunctions, features or processes are described herein as being performedby an EGM, such functions, features or processes may alternatively beperformed by one or more servers, or one or more mobile deviceapplications, or one or more components of the EGM (such as a componentof a gaming establishment management system (e.g., a player trackingunit) supported by or otherwise located inside the EGM), (ii) whilecertain functions, features or processes are described herein as beingperformed by one or more mobile device applications, such functions,features or processes may alternatively be performed by one or moreservers, or one or more EGMs, or one or more components of the EGM (suchas a component of a gaming establishment management system (e.g., aplayer tracking unit) supported by or otherwise located inside the EGM),(iii) while certain functions, features or processes are describedherein as being performed by one or more servers, such functions,features or processes may alternatively be performed by one or moreEGMs, or one or more mobile device applications, or one or morecomponents of the EGM (such as a component of a gaming establishmentmanagement system (e.g., a player tracking unit) supported by orotherwise located inside the EGM)), and (iv) while certain functions,features or processes are described herein as being performed by one ormore components of an EGM (such as a component of a gaming establishmentmanagement system (e.g., a player tracking unit) supported by orotherwise located inside the EGM), such functions, features or processesmay alternatively be performed by one or more EGMs, or one or moremobile device applications, or one or more servers.

Player Accounts

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed includes enabling theplayer to log into a casino loyalty account, such as a player trackingaccount, via a wireless communication protocol, utilizing the mobiledevice application. In certain such embodiments, following the launchingof the mobile device application, such as following the player selectingan image associated with an electronic casino loyalty account cardstored via a digital wallet application or following the mobile deviceapplication retrieving data associated with a player loyalty accountstored via a digital wallet application, the mobile device applicationprompts the player to cause the mobile device to engage the EGM, such asprompting the player to tap the mobile device to a card reader or otherdesignated location(s) of the EGM. After such engagement (or after thelaunching of the mobile device application if no mobile device to EGMengagement is required), the mobile device application communicates, viaa wireless communication protocol, player loyalty account data stored bythe mobile device to the EGM (or a component of the EGM). The EGMproceeds with operating with a player loyalty system (i.e., a playertracking system) to log the player into the player loyalty account atthat EGM. For example, as seen in FIG. 2E, the mobile device application220 of the mobile device 210 proceeds with displaying a confirmationmessage that the player is logged into the player loyalty account 230 e.Thereafter, any game play activity is associated with this playerloyalty account (just as if the player would have inserted a physicalplayer tracking card into a player tracking card reader of the EGM).

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed includes enabling theplayer to log out of a casino loyalty account, such as a player trackingaccount, via a wireless communication protocol, utilizing the mobiledevice application. In different embodiments, upon receiving one or more“cash out” inputs from the player, if the system determines that noactivity has occurred for a designated amount of time, or if the systemdetermines that another player is attempting to log onto the EGM, themobile device application facilitates a logging out of the casinoloyalty account. Such logging out of the casino loyalty account isassociated with a termination of the player's current gaming session.Specifically, the EGM proceeds with operating with a player loyaltysystem (i.e., a player tracking system) to log the player out of theplayer loyalty account at that EGM to complete the player trackingsession at the EGM. For example, as seen in FIG. 2F, the mobile deviceapplication 220 of the mobile device 210 proceeds with displaying anicon 230 f which enables the player to log out of the player loyaltyaccount.

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes enabling the player to log into a cashlesswagering account, via a wireless communication protocol, utilizing themobile device application. In certain such embodiments, such as seen inFIG. 2G, following the launching of the mobile device application, suchas following the player selecting an image associated with an electroniccasino loyalty account card stored via a digital wallet application orfollowing the mobile device application retrieving data associated witha cashless wagering account stored via a digital wallet application, themobile device application prompts the player to cause the mobile deviceto engage the EGM 230 g, such as prompting the player to tap the mobiledevice to a card reader or other designated location(s) of the EGM.After such engagement (or after the launching of the mobile deviceapplication if no mobile device to EGM engagement is required), themobile device application communicates, via a wireless communicationprotocol, player cashless wagering account data stored by the mobiledevice to the EGM. The EGM proceeds with operating with the cashlesswagering system to log the player into a cashless wagering accountassociated with the player. In one embodiment, the system determines abalance of the cashless wagering account (in terms of both cashablecredits and non-cashable credits) associated with the player and causesthe EGM to communicate, via one or more wireless communicationprotocols, the determined cashless wagering account balance to themobile device.

In another embodiment, the system determines balance(s) of the cashlesswagering account (in terms of cashable credits and non-cashable credits)associated with the player and communicates, via one or more wirelesscommunication protocols, the determined cashless wagering accountbalance(s) to the mobile device. For example, as seen in FIG. 2H, themobile device application 220 of the mobile device 210 proceeds withdisplaying the determined amount of cashable credits in the cashlesswagering account balance and the determined amount of non-cashablecredits in the cashless wagering account 230 h.

Transfer of Cashable Credits

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes enabling the player to facilitate the transfer ofcashable funds from a cashless wagering account to the EGM utilizing themobile device application. In certain such embodiments, following thelaunching of the mobile device application, such as following the playerselecting an image associated with an electronic casino loyalty accountcard stored via a digital wallet application or following the mobiledevice application retrieving data associated with a cashless wageringaccount stored via a digital wallet application, the mobile deviceapplication determines an amount of funds to be transferred from thecashless wagering account to the EGM.

In one embodiment, the mobile device application enables the player toselect an amount of cashable credits to be transferred from a listing ofavailable amounts of funds to be transferred from the cashless wageringaccount to the EGM. For example, as seen in FIG. 2I, the mobile deviceapplication 220 of the mobile device 210 proceeds with displaying alisting of available, selectable amounts of cashable credits to betransferred from the cashless wagering account to the EGM 230 i.

In different embodiments, the listing of available amounts to betransferred is previously selected by the player, selected by a gamingestablishment or selected by a third-party. In certain embodiments, themobile device application enables the player, a gaming establishmentand/or a third-party to modify the listing of available amount of funds.In another embodiment, the mobile device application determines thelisting of available amount of funds based on one or morecharacteristics associated with the player, such as the player's prioramounts transferred, the player's wagering history, and/or the player'sstatus. In another embodiment, the mobile device application determinesthe listing of available amount of funds based on one or morecharacteristics associated with the EGM, such as based on thedenomination, game type, minimum bet and/or maximum available wageramount of the EGM. In a first example, if the EGM is a collection of $1poker games, then the listing of available amounts displayed are $40,$80, $120. In a second example, if the EGM is a penny slots game, thenthe listing of available amounts displayed are $20, $40, $60.

In one embodiment, the mobile device application includes more than onelisting of available amounts of cashable funds to be transferred. Inthis embodiment, the mobile device application includes one listing ofavailable amounts for an initial transfer of funds to the EGM for agaming session (i.e., a first listing of amounts to initially establisha credit balance of an EGM) and another listing of available amounts fora subsequent transfer of funds to the EGM for an existing gaming session(i.e., a second listing of amounts to modify a previously establishedcredit balance of the EGM).

In another embodiment, the mobile device application determines adefault amount of cashable funds to be transferred from the cashlesswagering account to the EGM. In one such embodiment, the default amountof funds includes the last amount of funds transferred from the cashlesswagering account to the EGM. In another such embodiment, the defaultamount of funds includes the last amount of funds transferred from theEGM to the cashless wagering account. The mobile device applicationdisplays to the player such a default amount of funds to be transferred.

In different embodiments, the default amount to be transferred ispreviously selected by the player, selected by a gaming establishment orselected by a third-party. In certain embodiments, the mobile deviceapplication enables the player, a gaming establishment and/or athird-party to modify the default amount of funds displayed by themobile device application. In another embodiment, the mobile deviceapplication determines the default amount of funds based on one or morecharacteristics associated with the player, such as the player's prioramounts transferred, the player's wagering history, the player's creditbalance, or the player's status.

In one embodiment, the mobile device application includes more than onedefault amount of cashable funds to be transferred. In this embodiment,the mobile device application includes one default amount for an initialtransfer of funds to the EGM for a gaming session (i.e., a first defaultamount to initially establish a credit balance of an EGM) and anotherdefault amount for a subsequent transfer of funds to the EGM for anexisting gaming session (i.e., a second default amount to modify apreviously established credit balance of the EGM).

In certain embodiments, following the determination of an amount ofcashable funds to be transferred from the cashless wagering account tothe EGM, the mobile device application prompts the player to cause themobile device to engage the EGM, such as prompting the player to tap themobile device to a player tracking card reader or other designatedlocation(s) of the EGM. After such engagement (or after thedetermination of an amount of funds to be transferred if no mobiledevice to EGM engagement is required), the mobile device applicationcommunicates, via a wireless communication protocol, data associatedwith the determined amount of funds to be transferred from the cashlesswagering account to the EGM. The EGM proceeds with operating with acashless wagering system to log the player into a cashless wageringaccount associated with the player (if necessary) and request thedetermined amount of funds to be transferred from the cashless wageringaccount to the EGM.

In another embodiment, rather than prompting the player to engage theEGM with the mobile device and the subsequent engagement of the EGM withthe mobile device, the mobile device application automaticallydetermines to transfer a default amount of funds, such as the lasttransferred amount of funds, from the cashless wagering account to theEGM. In this embodiment, the mobile device application communicates, viaa wireless communication protocol, data associated with the determinedamount of funds to be transferred from the cashless wagering account tothe EGM. The EGM proceeds with operating with a cashless wagering systemto log the player into a cashless wagering account associated with theplayer (if necessary) and request the determined amount of funds to betransferred from the cashless wagering account to the EGM.

Following the EGM requesting the determined amount of cashable funds,the cashless wagering system determines whether to authorize thetransfer of the determined amount of funds. If the cashless wageringsystem determines not to authorize the determined amount of funds, thecashless wagering system communicates a denial to the EGM and/or themobile device application, wherein the EGM and/or mobile deviceapplication display a denial of funds transfer to the player.

On the other hand, if the cashless wagering system determines toauthorize the determined amount of cashable funds, the cashless wageringsystem updates the cashless wagering account associated with the playerand communicates an authorization to the EGM. The cashless wageringsystem reduces a balance of the cashless wagering account by the reducedamount of cashable funds. The EGM proceeds with updating a creditbalance of the EGM to account for the determined amount of funds. Incertain embodiments, the EGM further proceeds with communicating atransfer of cashable funds confirmation to the mobile device, whereinthe mobile device application displays a confirmation of the transfer ofthe amount of cashable funds and/or the updated credit balance of theEGM. Such a transfer amount of funds is available for wagering by theplayer or transferring to a gaming establishment retail account (via thecashless wagering account as described above).

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes automatically transferring cashable funds from acashless wagering account to the EGM utilizing the mobile deviceapplication. In one such embodiment, the gaming system includes anautomatic reload feature wherein if a credit balance of the EGM fallsbelow a threshold level, the mobile device automatically transfers anamount of funds from the cashless wagering account to the EGM tofacilitate additional wagering opportunities. It should be appreciatedthat, in certain embodiments, the gaming system enables the player toenable or disable such an automatic reload feature.

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes enabling the player to transfer funds from avirtual ticket voucher to the EGM utilizing the mobile deviceapplication. In certain embodiments, following the launching of themobile device application, such as following the player selecting animage associated with an electronic casino loyalty account card storedvia a digital wallet application, the mobile device applicationdetermines an amount of funds to be transferred to the EGM via theredemption of a virtual ticket voucher. In these embodiments, the mobiledevice application displays to the player images representing anyvirtual ticket vouchers associated with the mobile device. The mobiledevice application enables the player to select one or more imagesrepresenting one or more virtual ticket vouchers associated with themobile device. In these embodiments, similar to as described above withrespect to the transfer of funds from a cashless wagering account to anEGM via a mobile device application, following the determination ofwhich virtual ticket vouchers are to be transferred from the mobiledevice application to the EGM, the mobile device application prompts theplayer to cause the mobile device to engage the EGM. The mobile deviceapplication then communicates, via a wireless communication protocol,data associated with the selected virtual ticket voucher to betransferred. The EGM then communicates with one or more servers, such asa virtual ticket voucher server, to request the selected virtual ticketvoucher (and more specifically the amount of funds associated with theselected virtual ticket voucher) be transferred from to the EGM. Theserver then determines whether to authorize the transfer of the selectedvirtual ticket voucher. If the transfer of the selected virtual ticketvoucher is authorized: (i) the server updates a database of virtualticket vouchers to reflect the redemption of the selected virtual ticketvoucher, (ii) the EGM proceeds with updating a credit balance of the EGMto account for the amount of funds associated with the selected virtualticket voucher, (iii) a transfer of funds confirmation is communicatedto and displayed by the mobile device, and (iv) the amount of fundsassociated with the selected virtual ticket voucher are available forwagering by the player.

In certain other embodiments, following a full or partial depletion of acredit balance of the EGM, the EGM wirelessly communicates with themobile device and queries the mobile device for the presence of anyadditional virtual ticket vouchers associated with the mobile deviceapplication. That is, when the credit balance of the EGM is empty, whenthe credit balance of the EGM has less than an amount of credits torepeat a previous wager, when the credit balance of the EGM has lesscredits than a minimum wager and/or when the credit balance of the EGMis below a designated threshold amount, the EGM communicates with themobile device to determine if the mobile device application isassociated with any additional available virtual ticket vouchers. If noadditional virtual ticket vouchers are available, the EGM prompts theplayer to fund the credit balance of the EGM via another funding avenueas disclosed herein. On the other hand, if at least one virtual ticketvoucher is available, the EGM operates with the mobile device tofacilitate the transfer of such at least one virtual ticket voucher tothe EGM. In one such embodiment, the mobile device applicationcommunicates a listing of available virtual ticket vouchers to the EGM.The EGM proceeds with displaying the listing of available virtual ticketvouchers and enables the player to select one or more of the availablevirtual ticket vouchers to redeem. If the player selects one or more ofthe available virtual ticket vouchers, the EGM communicates the player'sselection to the mobile device and the mobile device applicationproceeds with facilitating the transfer of such virtual ticket vouchersto the EGM as described herein. It should be appreciated that thisembodiment enables a player to utilize a mobile device to facilitate thetransfer funds, such as transfer of funds associated with one or morevirtual ticket vouchers associated with the mobile device, withouthaving to reengage the EGM with the mobile device.

In certain other embodiments, following a full or partial depletion of acredit balance of the EGM, the EGM wirelessly communicates with themobile device (or communicates with one or more server which communicatewith the EGM) and queries the mobile device for the presence of anyadditional virtual ticket vouchers associated with the mobile deviceapplication. If no additional virtual ticket vouchers are available, theEGM prompts the player to fund the credit balance of the EGM via anotherfunding avenue as disclosed herein. On the other hand, if at least onevirtual ticket voucher is available, the mobile device applicationproceeds with facilitating the automatic transfer of the at least onevirtual ticket voucher to the EGM as described herein. It should beappreciated that this embodiment enables a player to automaticallytransfer funds, such as transfer of funds associated with one or morevirtual ticket vouchers associated with the mobile device, via themobile device without the player having to reengage the EGM with themobile device and without the player having to prompt either the EGM orthe mobile device application to initiate such a transfer. It should befurther appreciated that, in certain embodiments, the gaming systemenables the player to enable or disable such an automatic “transfer ofvirtual ticket vouchers” feature.

In another embodiment, the EGM periodically communicates information tothe mobile device regarding the status or amount of the credit balanceof the EGM. In one such embodiment, based on this communicatedinformation, the mobile device application determines when to alert theplayer to potentially transfer additional funds to the EGM utilizing themobile device application. For example, the mobile device applicationcould vibrate the mobile device, or create a sound, which alerts theplayer to view the mobile device application and select which additionalfunds to virtually insert into or load on the EGM. In another suchembodiment, based on this communicated information, the mobile deviceapplication determines when to automatically transfer one or moreadditional and available virtual ticket vouchers to the EGM.

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes enabling the player to transfer cashable fundsfrom an EGM to a cashless wagering account facilitated by the mobiledevice application. That is, the system of this disclosure enables aplayer to transfer winnings from the EGM back to a cashless wageringaccount in association with the mobile device application. In certainsuch embodiments, following the launching of the mobile deviceapplication, such as following the player selecting an image associatedwith an electronic casino loyalty account card stored via a digitalwallet application or following the mobile device application retrievingdata associated with a cashless wagering account stored via a digitalwallet application, and receiving one or more “cash out” inputs from theplayer, the mobile device application determines an amount of funds tobe transferred from the EGM to the cashless wagering account.

In one embodiment, the mobile device application enables the player toselect an amount to be transferred from the EGM to the cashless wageringaccount. In one such embodiment, the mobile device application enablesthe player to select a portion of the credit balance of the EGM (i.e.,less than the entire credit balance) to be transferred from the EGM tothe cashless wagering account. In various examples, the mobile deviceapplication automatically selects an amount of any winnings (i.e., anamount of the credit balance over the initial credit balance), an amountof winnings over a designated amount, an amount of a last win (i.e., anaward amount associated with the last played game) or an amount of alast win over a designated amount (i.e., an award amount associated withthe last played game over a designated award amount) to be transferredfrom the EGM to the cashless wagering account. In another embodiment,the mobile device application determines to transfer the credit balanceof the EGM from the EGM to the cashless wagering account.

In certain embodiments, following the determination of an amount ofcashable funds to be transferred from the EGM to the cashless wageringaccount, the mobile device application prompts the player to cause themobile device to engage the EGM, such as prompting the player to tap themobile device to a player tracking card reader or other designatedlocation(s) of the EGM.

In certain other embodiments, the system determines to facilitate thetransfer of cashable funds from the EGM to the cashless wagering accountindependent of any input by the player and/or independent of anyengagement between the mobile device and the EGM. In one suchembodiment, if the system determines that no activity has occurred for adesignated amount of time, as a precautionary measure, the systemtransfers the credit balance of the EGM from the EGM to the cashlesswagering account used to transfer funds to the EGM. In anotherembodiment, if the system determines that another player is attemptingto log onto the EGM, as a precautionary measure, the system transfersthe credit balance of the EGM from the EGM to the cashless wageringaccount used to transfer funds to the EGM. Such transfers of the creditbalance to the cashless wagering account is associated with atermination of the player's current gaming session.

After any engagement between the mobile device and the EGM (or after thedetermination of an amount of funds to be transferred if no mobiledevice to EGM engagement is required), the mobile device applicationcommunicates, via a wireless communication protocol, data associatedwith the determined amount of cashable funds to be transferred from theEGM to the cashless wagering account. The EGM proceeds with operatingwith a cashless wagering system to log the player into a cashlesswagering account associated with the player (or confirm that the playerremains logged into the cashless wagering account) and request thedetermined amount of funds to be transferred from the EGM to thecashless wagering account. Following such a request, the EGM proceedswith updating a credit balance of the EGM to account for the determinedamount of cashable funds transferred from the EGM to the cashlesswagering account. The cashless wagering system additionally updates thecashless wagering account associated with the player (i.e., the cashlesswagering system adds the determined amount of cashable funds to thecashless wagering account) and communicates a confirmation to the EGM.The EGM further proceeds with communicating a transfer of fundsconfirmation to the mobile device, wherein the mobile device applicationdisplays a confirmation of the transfer of the amount of funds and/orthe updated credit balance of the EGM. Such a transferred amount offunds is available in the player's cashless wagering account to betransferred to another EGM or transferred to a gaming establishmentretail account as described here.

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes automatically transferring funds from the EGM toa cashless wagering account utilizing the mobile device application. Inone such embodiment, the gaming system includes an automatic “cash out”feature wherein if a credit balance of the EGM reaches above a thresholdlevel, the mobile device automatically transfers an amount of funds fromthe EGM to the cashless wagering account. Such an automatic “cash out”feature is associated with a termination of the player's current gamingsession. It should be appreciated that, in certain embodiments, thegaming system enables the player to enable or disable such an automatic“cash out” feature.

It should be appreciated that the mobile device facilitated fund datatransfers of the present disclosure may occur in addition to or as analternative from cash-based fund transfers and/or ticket voucher-basedfund transfers. In one such embodiment, an EGM of the present disclosureis funded via any of a mobile device facilitated fund transfer, acash-based fund transfer or a ticket voucher-based fund transfer. Inanother embodiment, a credit balance of an EGM of the present disclosureis cashed out via any of a mobile device facilitated fund transfer, acash-based fund transfer or a ticket voucher-based fund transfer. Inanother embodiment, an EGM of the present disclosure is funded via amobile device facilitated fund transfer or a cash-based fund transfer(but is not funded via any ticket voucher-based fund transfer). Inanother embodiment, a credit balance of an EGM of the present disclosureis cashed out via a mobile device facilitated fund transfer or acash-based fund transfer (but is not cashed out via any ticketvoucher-based fund transfer). In another embodiment, an EGM of thepresent disclosure is funded via a mobile device facilitated fundtransfer or a ticket voucher-based fund transfer (but is not funded viaany cash-based fund transfer). In another embodiment, a credit balanceof an EGM of the present disclosure is cashed out via a mobile devicefacilitated fund transfer or a ticket voucher-based fund transfer (butis not cashed out via any cash-based fund transfer). In anotherembodiment, an EGM of the present disclosure is funded via a mobiledevice facilitated fund transfer (but is not funded via a cash-basedfund transfer nor a ticket voucher-based fund transfer). In anotherembodiment, a credit balance of an EGM of the present disclosure iscashed out via a mobile device facilitated fund transfer (but is notcashed out via a cash-based fund transfer nor a ticket voucher-basedfund transfer).

Transfer of Non-Cashable Credits

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes transferring non-cashable credits to the EGMutilizing the mobile device application.

In various embodiments, the system includes transferring non-cashablecredits to an EGM in association with a fund transfer to a cashlesswagering account from a gaming establishment retail account which ispart of a gaming establishment retail system. In these embodiments, thegaming establishment retail account is a retail account with a balanceor a pre-paid access account which, per current regulations from theU.S. Treasury Department Financial Crimes Enforcement Network(“FinCEN”), cannot be convertible to cash and can only be used for thepurchase of goods and/or services. Such a gaming establishment retailaccount (i.e., a gaming establishment retail wallet) of a gamingestablishment retail system integrates with various retail point-of-salesystems throughout the gaming establishment to enable players/users topurchase goods and/or services via the player's gaming establishmentretail account. It should be appreciated that once an amount of fundsare deposited in a gaming establishment retail account, certainregulations dictate that such funds cannot be converted back to cashablefunds. That is, while an amount of funds deposited in a gamingestablishment retail account may be used with various retailpoint-of-sale systems throughout the gaming establishment to enableplayers/users to purchase goods and/or services and can further be usedto fund a cashless wagering account with an amount of non-cashablecredits, such funds deposited in the gaming establishment retail accountcannot be converted to cash.

In certain such embodiments, following the launching of the mobiledevice application, such as following the player selecting an imageassociated with an electronic casino loyalty account card stored via adigital wallet application or following the mobile device applicationretrieving data associated with a cashless wagering account stored via adigital wallet application, the mobile device application determines anamount of non-cashable funds to be transferred from the cashlesswagering account to the EGM.

In one embodiment, the mobile device application enables the player toselect to transfer the amount of non-cashable credits from the cashlesswagering account to the EGM. In one embodiment, the mobile deviceapplication enables the player to select an amount of non-cashablecredits to be transferred from a listing of available amounts of fundsto be transferred from the cashless wagering account to the EGM. Indifferent embodiments, the listing of available amounts of non-cashablecredits to be transferred is previously selected by the player, selectedby a gaming establishment or selected by a third-party. In certainembodiments, the mobile device application enables the player, a gamingestablishment and/or a third-party to modify the listing of availableamounts of non-cashable funds. In another embodiment, the mobile deviceapplication determines the listing of available amount of funds based onone or more characteristics associated with the player, such as theplayer's prior amounts transferred, the player's wagering history,and/or the player's status. In another embodiment, the mobile deviceapplication determines the listing of available amount of funds based onone or more characteristics associated with the EGM, such as based onthe denomination, game type, minimum bet and/or maximum available wageramount of the EGM. In one embodiment, the mobile device applicationincludes more than one listing of available amounts of non-cashablefunds to be transferred. In this embodiment, the mobile deviceapplication includes one listing of available amounts for an initialtransfer of funds to the EGM for a gaming session (i.e., a first listingof amounts to initially establish a credit balance of an EGM) andanother listing of available amounts for a subsequent transfer of fundsto the EGM for an existing gaming session (i.e., a second listing ofamounts to modify a previously established credit balance of the EGM).

In another embodiment, the mobile device application determines adefault amount of non-cashable funds to be transferred from the cashlesswagering account to the EGM. In one such embodiment, the default amountof funds includes the last amount of funds transferred from the cashlesswagering account to the EGM. In another such embodiment, the defaultamount of funds includes the last amount of funds transferred from theEGM to the cashless wagering account. The mobile device applicationdisplays to the player such a default amount of funds to be transferred.

In different embodiments, the default amount to be transferred ispreviously selected by the player, selected by a gaming establishment orselected by a third-party. In certain embodiments, the mobile deviceapplication enables the player, a gaming establishment and/or athird-party to modify the default amount of non-cashable funds displayedby the mobile device application. In another embodiment, the mobiledevice application determines the default amount of funds based on oneor more characteristics associated with the player, such as the player'sprior amounts transferred, the player's wagering history, the player'scredit balance, or the player's status.

In one embodiment, the mobile device application includes more than onedefault amount of non-cashable funds to be transferred. In thisembodiment, the mobile device application includes one default amountfor an initial transfer of funds to the EGM for a gaming session (i.e.,a first default amount to initially establish a credit balance of anEGM) and another default amount for a subsequent transfer of funds tothe EGM for an existing gaming session (i.e., a second default amount tomodify a previously established credit balance of the EGM).

In certain embodiments, following the determination of an amount ofnon-cashable funds to be transferred from the cashless wagering accountto the EGM, the mobile device application prompts the player to causethe mobile device to engage the EGM, such as prompting the player to tapthe mobile device to a player tracking card reader or other designatedlocation(s) of the EGM. After such engagement (or after thedetermination of an amount of funds to be transferred if no mobiledevice to EGM engagement is required), the mobile device applicationcommunicates, via a wireless communication protocol, data associatedwith the determined amount of non-cashable funds to be transferred fromthe cashless wagering account to the EGM. The EGM proceeds withoperating with the cashless wagering system to log the player into acashless wagering account associated with the player (if necessary) andrequest the determined amount of non-cashable funds to be transferredfrom the cashless wagering account to the EGM.

In another embodiment, rather than prompting the player to engage theEGM with the mobile device and the subsequent engagement of the EGM withthe mobile device, the mobile device application automaticallydetermines to transfer a default amount of non-cashable funds, such asthe last transferred amount of funds, from the cashless wagering accountto the EGM. In this embodiment, the mobile device applicationcommunicates, via a wireless communication protocol, data associatedwith the determined amount of funds to be transferred from the cashlesswagering account to the EGM. The EGM proceeds with operating with acashless wagering system to log the player into a cashless wageringaccount associated with the player (if necessary) and request thedetermined amount of funds to be transferred from the cashless wageringaccount to the EGM.

Following the EGM requesting the determined amount of non-cashablefunds, the cashless wagering system determines whether to authorize thetransfer of the determined amount of non-cashable funds. If the cashlesswagering system determines not to authorize the determined amount offunds, the cashless wagering system communicates a denial to the EGMand/or the mobile device application, wherein the EGM and/or mobiledevice application display a denial of funds transfer to the player.

On the other hand, if the cashless wagering system determines toauthorize the determined amount of non-cashable funds, the cashlesswagering system updates the cashless wagering account associated withthe player and communicates an authorization to the EGM. The cashlesswagering system reduces a balance of the cashless wagering account bythe reduced amount of non-cashable funds. The EGM proceeds with updatinga credit balance of the EGM, such as a non-cashable credit balance, toaccount for the determined amount of funds. In certain embodiments, theEGM further proceeds with communicating a transfer of funds confirmationto the mobile device, wherein the mobile device application displays aconfirmation of the transfer of the amount of funds and/or the updatedcredit balance of the EGM. Such a transfer amount of funds is availablefor wagering by the player.

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes automatically transferring non-cashable fundsfrom a cashless wagering account to the EGM utilizing the mobile deviceapplication. In one such embodiment, the gaming system includes anautomatic reload feature wherein if a credit balance of the EGM, such asa non-cashable credit balance, falls below a threshold level, the mobiledevice automatically transfers an amount of non-cashable funds from thecashless wagering account to the EGM to facilitate additional wageringopportunities. It should be appreciated that, in certain embodiments,the gaming system enables the player to enable or disable such anautomatic reload feature.

In another embodiment, the EGM periodically communicates information tothe mobile device regarding the status or amount of the non-cashablecredit balance of the EGM. In one such embodiment, based on thiscommunicated information, the mobile device application determines whento alert the player to potentially transfer additional non-cashablefunds to the EGM utilizing the mobile device application. For example,the mobile device application could vibrate the mobile device, or createa sound, which alerts the player to view the mobile device applicationand select which additional non-cashable funds to virtually insert intoor load on the EGM.

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes enabling the player to transfer non-cashablefunds from an EGM to a cashless wagering account facilitated by themobile device application. That is, the system of this disclosureenables a player to transfer unused non-cashable credits from the EGMback to a cashless wagering account in association with the mobiledevice application. In certain such embodiments, following the launchingof the mobile device application, such as following the player selectingan image associated with an electronic casino loyalty account cardstored via a digital wallet application or following the mobile deviceapplication retrieving data associated with a cashless wagering accountstored via a digital wallet application, and receiving one or more “cashout” inputs from the player, the mobile device application determines anamount of non-cashable funds to be transferred from the EGM to thecashless wagering account.

In one embodiment, the mobile device application enables the player toselect an amount of unused non-cashable credits to be transferred fromthe EGM to the cashless wagering account. In another embodiment, themobile device application determines to transfer part or all of theunused non-cashable credits of the credit balance of the EGM from theEGM to the cashless wagering account.

In certain embodiments, following the determination of an amount ofunused non-cashable credits to be transferred from the EGM to thecashless wagering account, the mobile device application prompts theplayer to cause the mobile device to engage the EGM, such as promptingthe player to tap the mobile device to a player tracking card reader orother designated location(s) of the EGM.

In certain other embodiments, the system determines to facilitate thetransfer of unused non-cashable credits from the EGM to the cashlesswagering account independent of any input by the player and/orindependent of any engagement between the mobile device and the EGM. Inone such embodiment, if the system determines that no activity hasoccurred for a designated amount of time, as a precautionary measure,the system transfers any unused non-cashable credits of the creditbalance of the EGM from the EGM to the cashless wagering account used totransfer funds to the EGM. In another embodiment, if the systemdetermines that another player is attempting to log onto the EGM, as aprecautionary measure, the system transfers any unused non-cashablecredits of the credit balance of the EGM from the EGM to the cashlesswagering account used to transfer funds to the EGM. Such transfers ofthe unused non-cashable credits of the credit balance to the cashlesswagering account are associated with a termination of the player'scurrent gaming session.

In these embodiments, after any engagement between the mobile device andthe EGM (or after the determination of an amount of non-cashable fundsto be transferred if no mobile device to EGM engagement is required),the mobile device application communicates, via a wireless communicationprotocol, data associated with the determined amount of non-cashablefunds to be transferred from the EGM to the cashless wagering account.The EGM proceeds with operating with a cashless wagering system to logthe player into a cashless wagering account associated with the player(or confirm that the player remains logged into the cashless wageringaccount) and request the determined amount of non-cashable funds to betransferred from the EGM to the cashless wagering account. Followingsuch a request, the EGM proceeds with updating a credit balance of theEGM to account for the determined amount of non-cashable fundstransferred from the EGM to the cashless wagering account. The cashlesswagering system additionally updates the cashless wagering accountassociated with the player (i.e., the cashless wagering system adds thedetermined amount of non-cashable funds to the cashless wageringaccount) and communicates a confirmation to the EGM. The EGM furtherproceeds with communicating a transfer of funds confirmation to themobile device, wherein the mobile device application displays aconfirmation of the transfer of the amount of funds and/or the updatedcredit balance of the EGM. Such a transferred amount of non-cashablefunds is available in the player's cashless wagering account to betransferred to another EGM.

Transfer of Promotional Funds

In certain embodiments, the action to be performed additionally oralternatively includes transferring promotional funds from a playeraccount, such as a cashless wagering account, to the EGM utilizing themobile device application. In certain such embodiments, rather thanutilizing physical promotional tickets (i.e., an instrument associatedwith a quantity of promotional credits redeemable for game play on EGM,but not otherwise redeemable for cash) which represent promotionalcredits, the system utilizes an electronic or virtual ticket torepresent promotional funds. In other such embodiments, rather than aplayer redeeming a physical promotional ticket at a kiosk or playerservices desk to cause an amount of promotional credits associated withthe physical promotional ticket to be associated with a player trackingaccount, the system utilizes the mobile device application to redeemsuch promotional credits.

In certain embodiments, to obtain promotional funds, such as one or moreelectronic or virtual promotional tickets, a gaming establishmentcommunicates data associated with promotional funds, such as anelectronic or virtual promotional ticket, to the mobile deviceapplication (or a server maintained account associated with the mobiledevice application). It should be appreciated that data associated withpromotional funds, such as one or more electronic promotional tickets,could be communicated to the mobile devices of a plurality of players(e.g., a gaming establishment communicates to each player with aregistered mobile device application a promotional ticket of promotionalcredits for free play of a new gaming machine the gaming establishmentis currently promoting) and/or could be communicated to the mobiledevice of a particular player (e.g., a gaming establishment communicatesto a promotional ticket of promotional credits to a valued player,wherein the promotional credits are redeemable for free play of anygaming machine in the gaming establishment).

In one such embodiment of communicating data associated with promotionalfunds, such as an electronic or virtual promotional ticket, to themobile device application (or a server maintained account associatedwith the mobile device application), one or more servers, such as agaming establishment promotional server, send a message, such as anemail or text message, to a player. The message includes a hyperlinkand/or an attachment associated with the promotional funds, such as anelectronic promotional ticket. When the player accesses the hyperlinkand/or attachment via the player's mobile device, the mobile deviceactivates or launches the mobile device application and the associatedpromotional funds, such as the associated electronic promotional ticket,are transferred to the mobile device application (or a server maintainedaccount associated with the mobile device application).

In another such embodiment of a gaming establishment communicating dataassociated with promotional funds, such as an electronic or virtualpromotional ticket, to the mobile device application (or a servermaintained account associated with the mobile device application), oneor more servers, such as a gaming establishment promotional server, senda message, such as an email or text message, to a player. The message ofthis embodiment does not include any hyperlink or attachment associatedwith any promotional funds, such as any electronic promotional ticketsand thus no promotional funds are transferred to the mobile deviceapplication via this message. Rather, the message of this embodimentnotifies the player that an account associated with the player has beencredited with promotional funds. Such a message could includeinformation associated with the available promotional funds (e.g., anamount of promotional credits, a promotional fund identifier, and/or atime window which the promotional funds may be redeemed). In thisembodiment, when the mobile device application is activated or launchedby a player, the mobile device application queries one or more servers,such as a gaming establishment promotional server, for any promotionalfunds available to the player. In this embodiment, the one or moreservers transfer data associated with any promotional funds available tothe player to the mobile device application (or a server maintainedaccount associated with the mobile device application).

In another such embodiment of communicating data associated withpromotional funds, such as an electronic or virtual promotional ticket,to the mobile device application (or a server maintained accountassociated with the mobile device application), one or more servers,such as a gaming establishment promotional server, send a message to themobile device application to associate the mobile device applicationwith promotional funds, such as one or more electronic or virtualpromotional tickets. Such a message could be sent via email, text,tcp/ip or other suitable networking technology that communicates thepromotional funds, such as the electronic or virtual promotional ticketand/or information associated with the electronic promotional ticket(e.g., an amount of promotional credits, a promotional ticketidentifier, and/or a time window which the electronic promotional ticketmay be redeemed) to the mobile device application (or a servermaintained account associated with the mobile device application).

In another such embodiment of communicating data associated withpromotional funds, such as an electronic or virtual promotional ticket,to the mobile device application (or a server maintained accountassociated with the mobile device application), when the mobile deviceapplication is activated or launched by a player, the mobile deviceapplication queries one or more servers, such as a gaming establishmentpromotional server, for any promotional funds, such as any electronic orvirtual promotional tickets, available to the player. That is, incertain embodiments, following the launching of the mobile deviceapplication, such as following the player selecting an image associatedwith an electronic casino loyalty account card stored via a digitalwallet application or following the mobile device application retrievingdata associated with a player account stored via a digital walletapplication, the system determines if any promotional funds are to betransferred to the EGM facilitated by the mobile device application. Inthis embodiment, if the server determines that promotional funds areavailable for the player, such as one or more electronic or virtualpromotional tickets are available for the player and/or an amount ofpromotional funds are associated with the player's account, the servertransfers data associated with any promotional funds available to theplayer to the mobile device application (or a server maintained accountassociated with the mobile device application).

In another such embodiment of communicating data associated withpromotional funds, such as an electronic or virtual promotional ticket,to the mobile device application (or a server maintained accountassociated with the mobile device application), when the mobile deviceand/or mobile device application detects that the mobile device islocated in a gaming establishment associated with the mobile deviceapplication, the mobile device application queries one or more servers,such as a gaming establishment promotional server, for any promotionalfunds, such as any electronic or virtual promotional tickets, availableto the player and/or an amount of promotional funds associated with theplayer's account. In this embodiment, if the server determines thatpromotional funds are available for the player, such as one or moreelectronic or virtual promotional tickets are available and/or an amountof promotional funds are associated with the player's account, theserver transfers data associated with any promotional funds available tothe player to the mobile device application (or a server maintainedaccount associated with the mobile device application).

It should be appreciated that in certain of these embodiments ofcommunicating data associated with promotional funds, such as anelectronic or virtual promotional ticket, to the mobile deviceapplication, the promotional funds, such as the electronic or virtualpromotional tickets, are stored by the mobile device in association withthe mobile device application. For example, data communicated to themobile device application includes the electronic promotional ticketwhich is redeemable at the EGM via the mobile device application. Inother embodiments of communicating data associated with promotionalfunds, such as an electronic or virtual promotional ticket, to themobile device application, the promotional funds, such as the electronicor virtual promotional tickets, are stored by one or more servers, suchas a gaming establishment promotional server, but viewable via themobile device application. For example, the electronic promotionalticket reside on the server, such as a gaming establishment promotionalserver, and the data communicated to the mobile device applicationincludes identifying information associated the electronic promotionalticket (e.g., an amount of promotional credits, a promotional ticketidentifier, and/or a time window which the electronic promotional ticketmay be redeemed). Accordingly, in each of these embodiments, the mobiledevice stores, in association with the mobile device application, dataassociated with promotional funds, such as one or more electronicpromotional tickets, to replace the use of and certain downsides ordisadvantages associated with paper promotional tickets.

Following the mobile device application obtaining data associated withpromotional funds, such as an electronic or virtual promotional ticket,to the mobile device application, the promotional funds, such as theelectronic or virtual promotional tickets, are accessible by the mobiledevice in association with the mobile device application. That is, asdescribed above in relation to how funds are facilitated to betransferred from a mobile device to an EGM via the mobile deviceapplication, promotional funds, such as one or more electronicpromotional tickets (or promotional credits associated with suchelectronic promotional tickets), are viewable via the mobile deviceapplication and transferable from the mobile device to the EGM via themobile device application.

It should be appreciated that the utilization of a mobile device totransfer one or more of the above-described funds to the EGM reduces thecosts associated with utilizing cash, ticket vouchers and/or promotionaltickets. For example, the utilization of cash and ticket vouchers isassociated with the labor costs of having to periodically remove a cashbox including received ticket vouchers and cash from the EGM, replacethe removed cash box with an empty one and refill the blank ticketvoucher stacks housed by the EGM. The utilization of such cash andticket vouchers is further associated with the various labor costs ofcounting the cash and ticket vouchers removed from the EGM.Specifically, any removed cash is transported to a secure area where oneor more individuals are involved in counting and recording the varioussums of cash and/or ticket vouchers removed from each EGM. The cashamounts removed from each EGM are reconciled with other informationsources, such as from hard meters on the EGM or records from a serverthat generates and validates ticket vouchers. The reconciliation processensures the earnings from the EGM are properly taxed. Additionally, theutilization of promotional tickets is associated with the various costsof printing such promotional tickets, mailing such promotional ticketsto players prior to such players visiting the gaming establishmentand/or staffing a player service desk with personal to redeem suchpromotional tickets. The utilization of a wirelessly connected mobiledevice to facilitate one or more requested actions as described hereinreduces or eliminates these various costs associated with utilizingcash, ticket vouchers and/or promotional tickets.

Securing Transactions Between Mobile Device and EGM

While the facilitation of the transfer of funds to and from an EGM via amobile device has many advantages described herein, certain securityconcerns arise when transferring fund data wirelessly between an EGM anda mobile device (or between an EGM and the mobile device via one or moreservers). For example, a malicious person may attempt to intercept sucha wireless communication and steal the funds being transferred. Such amalicious person may devise electronics, such as an antenna or otherelectronics placed on or near the EGM to insert their mobile devicebetween a “cash out” input and the mobile device engaging the EGM.

More specifically, when facilitating the transfer of deposited fundsand/or an amount of winnings from the EGM to a cashless wagering accountvia the mobile device application, a player initiates an engagement ofthe EGM with the mobile device, such as tapping the mobile device to aplayer tracking card reader or other designated location(s) of the EGM(or a component of the EGM). However, before the engagement of the EGMwith the player's mobile device is complete, an intruder utilizes suchdevised electronics to beat the player to the completion of theengagement. In this example, when the player subsequently actuates a“cash out” button on the EGM, the EGM (or a component of the EGM)proceeds with transferring the amount of the credit balance of themobile device of the intruder. Such a concern is also present when aplayer attempts to wirelessly transfer funds to an EGM via a mobiledevice wherein the intruder device intercepts such a transfer andreroutes the funds to the mobile device of the intruder.

In view of these security concerns, certain embodiments of the presentdisclosure utilize a time window, such as ten seconds, in associationwith one or more requested actions. In one such embodiment, afterreceiving an initiation of an engagement of the EGM with the mobiledevice, the EGM (or a component of the EGM) assigns or otherwiseassociates a time window with such an engagement. If one mobile deviceis attempted to be paired with the EGM within the associated time windowbefore an action is requested, the EGM determines that only one mobiledevice is communicating with the EGM and the EGM proceeds with executingthe requested action, such as a requested fund transfer as describedherein. On the other hand, if more than one mobile device is attemptedto be paired with the EGM within the associated time window before anaction is requested, the EGM determines that an intruder device may bepresent. In such a situation, the EGM cancels the requested actionand/or prompts the player to reengage the EGM with the mobile device.

In another such embodiment, after receiving a requested action from themobile device, the EGM assigns or otherwise associates a time windowwith such a requested action. Following the requested action, if onemobile device is attempted to be paired with the EGM within theassociated time window, the EGM determines that only one mobile deviceis communicating with the EGM and the EGM proceeds with executing therequested action, such as a requested fund transfer as described herein.On the other hand, following the requested action, if more than onemobile device is attempted to be paired with the EGM within theassociated time window, the EGM determines that an intruder device maybe present. In such a situation, the EGM cancels the requested actionand/or prompts the player to reengage the EGM with the mobile device.

It should be appreciated that in addition to thwarting an isolatedattempt by an intruder to intercept a wireless fund transfer, the systemis configured to identify if a device is involved in multiple attemptedengagements with an EGM over a designated threshold or time window. Inthis embodiment, such a device may be prohibited from being involved infurther wireless fund transfers. For example, if multiple engagementsare detected involving a single device within a twenty-four hour period,then that mobile device could be banned from participating in any futureengagements. Alternatively, that device could be prevented fromparticipating in engagements for a designated period of time, such as acooling-off period.

Mobile Device/EGM Communications

As indicated above, in various embodiments, the insertion and removal ofan electronic player tracking card (i.e., the logging in and logging outof the player from the player tracking system), and/or the facilitationof the transfer of funds between a cashless wagering account maintainedfor a player and an EGM is accomplished by one or more wirelesscommunication protocols between the EGM and the mobile device. In suchembodiments, the EGM of the present disclosure includes one or moremobile device interfaces for communicating with a mobile deviceutilizing one or more wireless communication protocols including, butnot limited to: Bluetooth™ Bluetooth™ Low Energy (“BLE”), one or morecellular communication standards (e.g., 3G, 4G, LTE), one or more Wi-Ficompatible standards, and one or more short range communicationprotocols (e.g., a near field communication (“NFC”) protocol).

In certain embodiments, the communication with the mobile device canoccur through one or more wireless interfaces of the EGM. Such wirelessinterfaces are configured to receive information, such as informationassociated with one or more accounts and instructions to initiate atransfer of funds to and from a cashless wagering account and the EGMutilizing a mobile device.

In one embodiment, the wireless interface is integrated into the cabinetof the EGM and the EGM processor is configured to communicate directlywith and send control commands to the wireless interface. In anotherembodiment, the wireless interface is integrated into a device mountedto and/or within the EGM cabinet, such as a player tracking unit or aplayer identification device of a player tracking unit. In certainembodiments where the wireless interface is embedded in a secondarydevice, such as a player tracking unit, the EGM processor sends controlcommands to control the wireless interface via a secondary controller,such as a player tracking controller.

In certain embodiments disclosed herein, the wireless interfaceimplements an NFC protocol to facilitate the insertion and removal of anelectronic player tracking card (i.e., the logging in and logging out ofthe player from the player tracking system) and/or the transfer of fundsbetween a cashless wagering account maintained for a player and an EGM.

NFC is typically used for communication distances of 4 cm or less. NFC,enables for simplified transactions, data exchange, and connections witha touch. Formed in 2004, the Near Field Communication Forum (NFC Forum)promotes sharing, pairing, and transactions between NFC devices anddevelops and certifies device compliance with NFC standards. NFC's shortrange helps keep encrypted identity documents private. Thus, asdescribed above, a tap of a mobile device with an NFC chip to an EGM cancause a transfer of funds to an EGM and/or serve as keycard or ID cardfor a loyalty program.

As seen in FIG. 3A, utilizing an NFC implementation, the mobile device210 communicates with the EGM 250 via an NFC protocol. As seen in FIG.3A, the EGM housing (which includes the EGM 250 and various systemcomponents) operates with a gaming establishment management system 260which operates with one or more servers, such as one or more accountingservers 270, patron management servers 280 and cashless wagering servers290.

In certain embodiments which utilize the NFC implementation, the mobiledevice application registers a mobile device application with one ormore processors of the mobile device. In these embodiments, when themobile device is detected by an NFC reader of a component of a gamingestablishment management system located inside the EGM, such as aNexGen® player tracking component of an IGT Advantagex system, thecomponent of the gaming establishment management system located insidethe EGM communicates one or more data messages to the mobile device (orto one or more servers which then communicate such data messages to themobile device). Such data messages are commands generated by thecomponent of the gaming establishment management system located insidethe EGM when the mobile device is detected in the NFC reader field. Theprocessor of the mobile device communicates the data message to themobile device application. The mobile device application responds, suchas communicating a triggering message, and a communication channel isopened between the component of the gaming establishment managementsystem located inside the EGM and the mobile device application (orbetween the component of the gaming establishment management systemlocated inside the EGM, one or more servers and the mobile deviceapplication). This open communication channel enables the component ofthe gaming establishment management system located inside the EGM tosend, though the NFC reader, additional data messages to the mobiledevice (or to the mobile device via one or more servers) which areresponded to by the mobile device application of the mobile device.

It should be appreciated that as long as the mobile device remainswithin the NFC field, the component of the gaming establishmentmanagement system located inside the EGM is configured to communicatewith the mobile device and send data, such as status updates, asnecessary. However, once the mobile device is removed from the NFCfield, the communication channel is closed and such status updates mustbe discontinued.

In various embodiments, the component of the gaming establishmentmanagement system located inside the EGM is configured to communicateother commands to the mobile device. Such commands and/or messagesinclude one or more of: (i) a Card Inserted message which confirms thatthe player is logged into the player tracking system (e.g., anelectronic player tracking card is associated with the EGM); (ii) a CardRemoved message which confirms that the player is logged out of theplayer tracking system (e.g., an electronic player tracking card isremoved or no longer associated with the EGM); (iii) a New Card Scannedmessage which reports that a physical card is detected in the playertracking card reader; (iv) a PIN Status message which reports a personalidentification number verification status; (v) a Transfer Status messagewhich reports a transfer request status; (vi) a Balance Status messagewhich reports a balance request status; and (vii) a Disconnect messagewhich informs the mobile device application to drop the connection withthe EGM, such as when the EGM cashout button is pressed, when the gamingsystem determines that the player card is “abandoned” or when the EGMcredit balance reaches zero and remains at zero for a designated periodof time, such as thirty seconds.

In other embodiments, the wireless interface implements a Wi-Fi,cellular and/or Bluetooth™ communications protocol to facilitate theinsertion and removal of an electronic player tracking card (i.e., thelogging in and logging out of the player from the player trackingsystem) and/or the transfer of funds between a cashless wagering accountmaintained for a player and an EGM.

In such embodiments, Bluetooth™ pairing occurs when two Bluetoothdevices agree to communicate with each other and establish a connection.In order to pair two Bluetooth wireless devices, a password (passkey) isexchanged between the two devices. The Passkey is a code shared by bothBluetooth devices, which proves that both users have agreed to pair witheach other. After the passkey code is exchanged, an encryptedcommunication can be set up between the pair devices. In Wi-Fi paring,every pairing can be set up with WPA2 encryption or another type ofencryption scheme to keep the transfer private. Wi-Fi Direct is anexample of a protocol that can be used to establish point-to-pointcommunications between two Wi-Fi devices. The protocol enables for aWi-Fi device pair directly with another without having to first join alocal network.

As seen in FIG. 3B, utilizing an a Wi-FiBluetooth™ communicationsprotocol implementation, the mobile device 210 communicates with the EGM250 via a Wi-FiBluetooth™ communications protocol . As seen in FIG. 3B,the EGM housing (which includes the EGM 250 and various systemcomponents) operates with a gaming establishment management system 260which operates with one or more servers, such as one or more accountingservers 270, patron management servers 280 and cashless wagering servers290.

It should be appreciated that Wi-Fi, cellular or Bluetooth™communication protocols can be used in lieu of or in combination withNFC. For instance, an NFC communication can be used to instantiate aWi-Fi or Bluetooth™ communication between the EGM, zero, one or moreservers and a mobile device, such as secure pairing using one of theseprotocols. That is, in one embodiment, an NFC interface on an EGM can beused to set-up a higher speed communication between the EGM, zero, oneor more servers and the NFC enabled mobile device. The higher speedcommunication rates can be used for expanded content sharing. Forinstance, a NFC and Bluetooth enabled EGM can be tapped by an NFC andBluetooth enabled mobile device for instant Bluetooth pairing betweenthe devices and zero, one or more servers. Instant Bluetooth pairingbetween an EGM, an NFC enabled mobile device and zero, one or moreservers, can save searching, waiting, and entering codes. In anotherexample, an EGM can be configured as an NFC enabled router, such as arouter supporting a Wi-Fi communication standard. Tapping an NFC enabledmobile device to an NFC enabled and Wi-Fi enabled EGM can be used toestablish a Wi-Fi connection between the devices and zero, one or moreservers.

In certain embodiments which implement a Wi-Fi, cellular and/orBluetooth™ communications protocol, the gaming system utilizes one ormore QR codes generated by the EGM to facilitate the communication ofdata between the mobile device and the gaming system. In suchembodiments, the QR code is used to identify the EGM that is displayingthe QR code to identify the server to which the mobile device shouldconnect. It should be appreciated that the QR code enables the gamingsystem to establish a secure tunnel or path from the mobile device tothe gaming establishment's Wi-Fi network and then to the gamingestablishment's wired network and finally to the EGM. In theseembodiments, a communication tunnel wrapper (i.e., a Wi-FiBluetooth™tunnel wrapper) is utilized to establish a connection between the gamingsystem and the mobile device and to transport any data messagesdescribed herein between the EGM, zero, one or more servers and themobile device.

More specifically, in certain embodiments, the player requests, via aninput at the EGM and/or the mobile device, the generation of a QR codeby the EGM. In response to the player's request, the EGM or a playertracking unit displays a QR code. In certain embodiments, the QR codeincludes a nonce which prevents a third-party (e.g., another player)from sniping the player's login attempt. Such an on-demand QR coderemains valid for a designated amount of time such that if the playerdoes not scan the QR code within the designated amount of time, anotherQR code is necessary to be scanned to connect the mobile device to theEGM.

In these embodiments, as seen in FIG. 2F, the player scans the QR codewith the mobile device application. If the gaming system determines thatthe QR code is valid (i.e., not expired), the mobile device applicationwill connect to the gaming system. It should be appreciated that as longas the established connection between the mobile device and the gamingsystem remains active, one or more gaming system servers and mobiledevice may communicate data, such as status updates, as necessary. Itshould be further appreciated that in association with the Wi-Fi orBluetooth™ or mobile device network communications protocol describedherein, any action requested by the player via the mobile deviceapplication does not require a new engagement between the mobile deviceand the EGM, such as a new scanning of the QR code to send such arequested action from the mobile device to the EGM (or to send arequested action from the mobile device to one or more servers and thenfrom one or more servers to the EGM).

In certain embodiments, following the scanning of a valid QR code, themobile device application connects to one or more servers. Such serversuse websockets secured with a transport layer security protocol or othersimilar mechanisms. In one such embodiment, the servers operate with oneor more translators and zero, one or more components of the gamingsystem, similarly using websockets secured with a transport layersecurity protocol, to communicate data to the EGM or a component of theEGM. It should be appreciated that in certain embodiments, one or moreof the servers are scalable servers configured to scale to acceptconnections from thousands of mobile devices.

In certain embodiments, after establishing a connection with one or moreservers, the mobile device application transmits a connect command tothe gaming system. In response to receiving a connect command from themobile device, the gaming system sends a message to the mobile device.This message serves to encapsulate various commands between the gamingsystem and the mobile device. In these embodiments, if the mobile deviceapplication does not receive this message within a designated period oftime, such as within five seconds, the mobile device applicationdisplays an error message to the player and directs the player to rescanthe QR code.

In addition to the connect command communicated from the mobile deviceapplication to the gaming system, the mobile device application of theseembodiments is configured to send a disconnect command to the gamingsystem. Such a disconnect command functions to tear-down the connectionthe server. That is, after the server receives the disconnect commandfrom the mobile device application, the server sends this disconnectcommand to the translator and close the websocket to the mobile deviceapplication. In these embodiments, if the websocket is not closed orotherwise terminated within a designated period of time, such as fiveseconds, the mobile device application may retry communicating thiscommand or close the websocket. It should be appreciated that if themobile device connection is severed before this command is received bythe gaming system, the sever sends this command on behalf of the mobiledevice application;

In another embodiment, the mobile device application is configured tosend a trigger command to the gaming system, such as a component of thegaming establishment management system located inside the EGM. In thisembodiment, the trigger command is associated with an action requestedby the player, such as a transfer of funds to or from the EGM. In suchembodiments, when the gaming system receives the trigger command fromthe mobile device application, the gaming system will communicate theappropriate requests to the mobile device application. If the mobiledevice application does not receive these requests within a designatedamount of time, such as five seconds, the mobile device application willdisplay an error message to the player and enable the player to retrythe requested action.

In other embodiments, the mobile device application communicates withthe gaming system through a tunnel established over the mobile device'sWi-FI network or the mobile device's network connection. In suchembodiments, the mobile device application will connect to one or moregaming system servers which use websockets secured with a transportlayer security protocol. The gaming system server operates with one ormore translators, similarly using websockets secured with a transportlayer security protocol to communicate data to the EGM or a component ofthe EGM.

In certain embodiments which utilize the NFC communication protocoldescribed herein, which utilize the Wi-Fi, cellular and/or Bluetooth™communication protocols described herein and/or which utilize any othercommunication protocol described herein, any action requested by theplayer via the mobile device application requires a new engagementbetween the mobile device and the EGM, such as a new tap of the mobiledevice to a card reader or other designated location(s) of the EGM. Incertain other embodiments which utilize the NFC communication protocoldescribed herein, which utilize the Wi-Fi, cellular and/or Bluetooth™communication protocols described herein and/or which utilize any othercommunication protocol described herein, certain actions requested bythe player via the mobile device application requires a new engagementbetween the mobile device and the EGM, such as a new tap of the mobiledevice to a card reader or other designated location(s) of the EGM andother actions requested by the player via the mobile device applicationdo not require any new engagement between the mobile device and the EGM.

Gaming Systems

The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure may beimplemented in accordance with or in conjunction with one or more of avariety of different types of gaming systems, such as, but not limitedto, those described below.

The present disclosure contemplates a variety of different gamingsystems each having one or more of a plurality of different features,attributes, or characteristics. A “gaming system” as used herein refersto various configurations of: (a) one or more central servers, centralcontrollers, or remote hosts; (b) one or more electronic gaming machinessuch as those located on a casino floor; and/or (c) one or more personalgaming devices, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, tabletcomputers or computing devices, personal digital assistants, mobilephones, and other mobile computing devices.

Thus, in various embodiments, the gaming system of the presentdisclosure includes: (a) one or more electronic gaming machines incombination with one or more central servers, central controllers, orremote hosts; (b) one or more personal gaming devices in combinationwith one or more central servers, central controllers, or remote hosts;(c) one or more personal gaming devices in combination with one or moreelectronic gaming machines; (d) one or more personal gaming devices, oneor more electronic gaming machines, and one or more central servers,central controllers, or remote hosts in combination with one another;(e) a single electronic gaming machine; (f) a plurality of electronicgaming machines in combination with one another; (g) a single personalgaming device; (h) a plurality of personal gaming devices in combinationwith one another; (i) a single central server, central controller, orremote host; and/or (j) a plurality of central servers, centralcontrollers, or remote hosts in combination with one another.

For brevity and clarity and unless specifically stated otherwise, theterm “EGM” is used herein to refer to an electronic gaming machine (suchas a slot machine, a video poker machine, a video lottery terminal(VLT), a video keno machine, or a video bingo machine located on acasino floor). Additionally, for brevity and clarity and unlessspecifically stated otherwise, “EGM” as used herein represents one EGMor a plurality of EGMs, “personal gaming device” as used hereinrepresents one personal gaming device or a plurality of personal gamingdevices, and “central server, central controller, or remote host” asused herein represents one central server, central controller, or remotehost or a plurality of central servers, central controllers, or remotehosts.

As noted above, in various embodiments, the gaming system includes anEGM (or personal gaming device) in combination with a central server,central controller, or remote host. In such embodiments, the EGM (orpersonal gaming device) is configured to communicate with the centralserver, central controller, or remote host through a data network orremote communication link. In certain such embodiments, the EGM (orpersonal gaming device) is configured to communicate with another EGM(or personal gaming device) through the same data network or remotecommunication link or through a different data network or remotecommunication link.

In certain embodiments in which the gaming system includes an EGM (orpersonal gaming device) in combination with a central server, centralcontroller, or remote host, the central server, central controller, orremote host is any suitable computing device (such as a server) thatincludes at least one processor and at least one memory device or datastorage device. As further described herein, the EGM (or personal gamingdevice) includes at least one EGM (or personal gaming device) processorconfigured to transmit and receive data or signals representing events,messages, commands, or any other suitable information between the EGM(or personal gaming device) and the central server, central controller,or remote host. The at least one processor of that EGM (or personalgaming device) is configured to execute the events, messages, orcommands represented by such data or signals in conjunction with theoperation of the EGM (or personal gaming device). Moreover, the at leastone processor of the central server, central controller, or remote hostis configured to transmit and receive data or signals representingevents, messages, commands, or any other suitable information betweenthe central server, central controller, or remote host and the EGM (orpersonal gaming device). The at least one processor of the centralserver, central controller, or remote host is configured to execute theevents, messages, or commands represented by such data or signals inconjunction with the operation of the central server, centralcontroller, or remote host. One, more than one, or each of the functionsof the central server, central controller, or remote host may beperformed by the at least one processor of the EGM (or personal gamingdevice). Further, one, more than one, or each of the functions of the atleast one processor of the EGM (or personal gaming device) may beperformed by the at least one processor of the central server, centralcontroller, or remote host.

In certain such embodiments, computerized instructions for controllingany games (such as any primary or base games and/or any secondary orbonus games) displayed by the EGM (or personal gaming device) areexecuted by the central server, central controller, or remote host. Insuch “thin client” embodiments, the central server, central controller,or remote host remotely controls any games (or other suitableinterfaces) displayed by the EGM (or personal gaming device), and theEGM (or personal gaming device) is utilized to display such games (orsuitable interfaces) and to receive one or more inputs or commands. Inother such embodiments, computerized instructions for controlling anygames displayed by the EGM (or personal gaming device) are communicatedfrom the central server, central controller, or remote host to the EGM(or personal gaming device) and are stored in at least one memory deviceof the EGM (or personal gaming device). In such “thick client”embodiments, the at least one processor of the EGM (or personal gamingdevice) executes the computerized instructions to control any games (orother suitable interfaces) displayed by the EGM (or personal gamingdevice).

In various embodiments in which the gaming system includes a pluralityof EGMs (or personal gaming devices), one or more of the EGMs (orpersonal gaming devices) are thin client EGMs (or personal gamingdevices) and one or more of the EGMs (or personal gaming devices) arethick client EGMs (or personal gaming devices). In other embodiments inwhich the gaming system includes one or more EGMs (or personal gamingdevices), certain functions of one or more of the EGMs (or personalgaming devices) are implemented in a thin client environment, andcertain other functions of one or more of the EGMs (or personal gamingdevices) are implemented in a thick client environment. In one suchembodiment in which the gaming system includes an EGM (or personalgaming device) and a central server, central controller, or remote host,computerized instructions for controlling any primary or base gamesdisplayed by the EGM (or personal gaming device) are communicated fromthe central server, central controller, or remote host to the EGM (orpersonal gaming device) in a thick client configuration, andcomputerized instructions for controlling any secondary or bonus gamesor other functions displayed by the EGM (or personal gaming device) areexecuted by the central server, central controller, or remote host in athin client configuration.

In certain embodiments in which the gaming system includes: (a) an EGM(or personal gaming device) configured to communicate with a centralserver, central controller, or remote host through a data network;and/or (b) a plurality of EGMs (or personal gaming devices) configuredto communicate with one another through a data network, the data networkis a local area network (LAN) in which the EGMs (or personal gamingdevices) are located substantially proximate to one another and/or thecentral server, central controller, or remote host. In one example, theEGMs (or personal gaming devices) and the central server, centralcontroller, or remote host are located in a gaming establishment or aportion of a gaming establishment.

In other embodiments in which the gaming system includes: (a) an EGM (orpersonal gaming device) configured to communicate with a central server,central controller, or remote host through a data network; and/or (b) aplurality of EGMs (or personal gaming devices) configured to communicatewith one another through a data network, the data network is a wide areanetwork (WAN) in which one or more of the EGMs (or personal gamingdevices) are not necessarily located substantially proximate to anotherone of the EGMs (or personal gaming devices) and/or the central server,central controller, or remote host. For example, one or more of the EGMs(or personal gaming devices) are located: (a) in an area of a gamingestablishment different from an area of the gaming establishment inwhich the central server, central controller, or remote host is located;or (b) in a gaming establishment different from the gaming establishmentin which the central server, central controller, or remote host islocated. In another example, the central server, central controller, orremote host is not located within a gaming establishment in which theEGMs (or personal gaming devices) are located. In certain embodiments inwhich the data network is a WAN, the gaming system includes a centralserver, central controller, or remote host and an EGM (or personalgaming device) each located in a different gaming establishment in asame geographic area, such as a same city or a same state. Gamingsystems in which the data network is a WAN are substantially identicalto gaming systems in which the data network is a LAN, though thequantity of EGMs (or personal gaming devices) in such gaming systems mayvary relative to one another.

In further embodiments in which the gaming system includes: (a) an EGM(or personal gaming device) configured to communicate with a centralserver, central controller, or remote host through a data network;and/or (b) a plurality of EGMs (or personal gaming devices) configuredto communicate with one another through a data network, the data networkis an internet (such as the Internet) or an intranet. In certain suchembodiments, an Internet browser of the EGM (or personal gaming device)is usable to access an Internet game page from any location where anInternet connection is available. In one such embodiment, after the EGM(or personal gaming device) accesses the Internet game page, the centralserver, central controller, or remote host identifies a player beforeenabling that player to place any wagers on any plays of any wageringgames. In one example, the central server, central controller, or remotehost identifies the player by requiring a player account of the playerto be logged into via an input of a unique username and passwordcombination assigned to the player. The central server, centralcontroller, or remote host may, however, identify the player in anyother suitable manner, such as by validating a player trackingidentification number associated with the player; by reading a playertracking card or other smart card inserted into a card reader (asdescribed below); by validating a unique player identification numberassociated with the player by the central server, central controller, orremote host; or by identifying the EGM (or personal gaming device), suchas by identifying the MAC address or the IP address of the Internetfacilitator. In various embodiments, once the central server, centralcontroller, or remote host identifies the player, the central server,central controller, or remote host enables placement of one or morewagers on one or more plays of one or more primary or base games and/orone or more secondary or bonus games, and displays those plays via theInternet browser of the EGM (or personal gaming device). Examples ofimplementations of Internet-based gaming are further described in U.S.Pat. No. 8,764,566, entitled “Internet Remote Game Server,” and U.S.Pat. No. 8,147,334, entitled “Universal Game Server”.

The central server, central controller, or remote host and the EGM (orpersonal gaming device) are configured to connect to the data network orremote communications link in any suitable manner. In variousembodiments, such a connection is accomplished via: a conventional phoneline or other data transmission line, a digital subscriber line (DSL), aT-1 line, a coaxial cable, a fiber optic cable, a wireless or wiredrouting device, a mobile communications network connection (such as acellular network or mobile Internet network), or any other suitablemedium. The expansion in the quantity of computing devices and thequantity and speed of Internet connections in recent years increasesopportunities for players to use a variety of EGMs (or personal gamingdevices) to play games from an ever-increasing quantity of remote sites.Additionally, the enhanced bandwidth of digital wireless communicationsmay render such technology suitable for some or all communications,particularly if such communications are encrypted. Higher datatransmission speeds may be useful for enhancing the sophistication andresponse of the display and interaction with players.

EGM Components

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example EGM 1000 and FIGS. 5A and 5Binclude two different example EGMs 2000 a and 2000 b. The EGMs 1000,2000 a, and 2000 b are merely example EGMs, and different EGMs may beimplemented using different combinations of the components shown in theEGMs 1000, 2000 a, and 2000 b. Although the below refers to EGMs, invarious embodiments personal gaming devices may include some or all ofthe below components.

In these embodiments, the EGM 1000 includes a master gaming controller1012 configured to communicate with and to operate with a plurality ofperipheral devices 1022.

The master gaming controller 1012 includes at least one processor 1010.The at least one processor 1010 is any suitable processing device or setof processing devices, such as a microprocessor, a microcontroller-basedplatform, a suitable integrated circuit, or one or moreapplication-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), configured to executesoftware enabling various configuration and reconfiguration tasks, suchas: (1) communicating with a remote source (such as a server that storesauthentication information or game information) via a communicationinterface 1006 of the master gaming controller 1012; (2) convertingsignals read by an interface to a format corresponding to that used bysoftware or memory of the EGM; (3) accessing memory to configure orreconfigure game parameters in the memory according to indicia read fromthe EGM; (4) communicating with interfaces and the peripheral devices1022 (such as input/output devices); and/or (5) controlling theperipheral devices 1022. In certain embodiments, one or more componentsof the master gaming controller 1012 (such as the at least one processor1010) reside within a housing of the EGM (described below), while inother embodiments at least one component of the master gaming controller1012 resides outside of the housing of the EGM.

The master gaming controller 1012 also includes at least one memorydevice 1016, which includes: (1) volatile memory (e.g., RAM 1009, whichcan include non-volatile RAM, magnetic RAM, ferroelectric RAM, and anyother suitable forms); (2) non-volatile memory 1019 (e.g., disk memory,FLASH memory, EPROMs, EEPROMs, memristor-based non-volatile solid-statememory, etc.); (3) unalterable memory (e.g., EPROMs 1008); (4) read-onlymemory; and/or (5) a secondary memory storage device 1015, such as anon-volatile memory device, configured to store gaming software relatedinformation (the gaming software related information and the memory maybe used to store various audio files and games not currently being usedand invoked in a configuration or reconfiguration). Any other suitablemagnetic, optical, and/or semiconductor memory may operate inconjunction with the EGM disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, theat least one memory device 1016 resides within the housing of the EGM(described below), while in other embodiments at least one component ofthe at least one memory device 1016 resides outside of the housing ofthe EGM.

The at least one memory device 1016 is configured to store, for example:(1) configuration software 1014, such as all the parameters and settingsfor a game playable on the EGM; (2) associations 1018 betweenconfiguration indicia read from an EGM with one or more parameters andsettings; (3) communication protocols configured to enable the at leastone processor 1010 to communicate with the peripheral devices 1022;and/or (4) communication transport protocols (such as TCP/IP, USB,Firewire, IEEE1394, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11x (IEEE 802.11 standards),hiperlan/2, HomeRF, etc.) configured to enable the EGM to communicatewith local and non-local devices using such protocols. In oneimplementation, the master gaming controller 1012 communicates withother devices using a serial communication protocol. A few non-limitingexamples of serial communication protocols that other devices, such asperipherals (e.g., a bill validator or a ticket printer), may use tocommunicate with the master game controller 1012 include USB, RS-232,and Netplex (a proprietary protocol developed by IGT).

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentdisclosure may be illustrated and described herein in any of a number ofpatentable classes or context including any new and useful process,machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and usefulimprovement thereof. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure maybe implemented entirely hardware, entirely software (including firmware,resident software, micro-code, etc.) or combining software and hardwareimplementation that may all generally be referred to herein as a“circuit,” “module,” “component,” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects ofthe present disclosure may take the form of a computer program productembodied in one or more computer readable media having computer readableprogram code embodied thereon.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of thepresent disclosure may be written in any combination of one or moreprogramming languages, including an object oriented programming languagesuch as Java, Scala, Smalltalk, Eiffel, JADE, Emerald, C++, C#, VB.NET,Python or the like, conventional procedural programming languages, suchas the “C” programming language, Visual Basic, Fortran 2003, Perl, COBOL2002, PHP, ABAP, dynamic programming languages such as Python, Ruby andGroovy, or other programming languages. The program code may executeentirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as astand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partlyon a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. Inthe latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user'scomputer through any type of network, including a local area network(LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to anexternal computer (for example, through the Internet using an InternetService Provider) or in a cloud computing environment or offered as aservice such as a Software as a Service (SaaS).

Aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatuses(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of thedisclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable instruction executionapparatus, create a mechanism for implementing the functions/actsspecified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that when executed can direct a computer, otherprogrammable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function ina particular manner, such that the instructions when stored in thecomputer readable medium produce an article of manufacture includinginstructions which when executed, cause a computer to implement thefunction/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable instruction execution apparatus, or otherdevices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on thecomputer, other programmable apparatuses or other devices to produce acomputer implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

In certain embodiments, the at least one memory device 1016 isconfigured to store program code and instructions executable by the atleast one processor of the EGM to control the EGM. The at least onememory device 1016 of the EGM also stores other operating data, such asimage data, event data, input data, random number generators (RNGs) orpseudo-RNGs, paytable data or information, and/or applicable game rulesthat relate to the play of one or more games on the EGM. In variousembodiments, part or all of the program code and/or the operating datadescribed above is stored in at least one detachable or removable memorydevice including, but not limited to, a cartridge, a disk, a CD ROM, aDVD, a USB memory device, or any other suitable non-transitory computerreadable medium. In certain such embodiments, an operator (such as agaming establishment operator) and/or a player uses such a removablememory device in an EGM to implement at least part of the presentdisclosure. In other embodiments, part or all of the program code and/orthe operating data is downloaded to the at least one memory device ofthe EGM through any suitable data network described above (such as anInternet or intranet).

The at least one memory device 1016 also stores a plurality of devicedrivers 1042. Examples of different types of device drivers includedevice drivers for EGM components and device drivers for the peripheralcomponents 1022. Typically, the device drivers 1042 utilize variouscommunication protocols that enable communication with a particularphysical device. The device driver abstracts the hardware implementationof that device. For example, a device driver may be written for eachtype of card reader that could potentially be connected to the EGM.Non-limiting examples of communication protocols used to implement thedevice drivers include Netplex, USB, Serial, Ethernet 175, Firewire, I/Odebouncer, direct memory map, serial, PCI, parallel, RF, Bluetooth™,near-field communications (e.g., using near-field magnetics), 802.11(WiFi), etc. In one embodiment, when one type of a particular device isexchanged for another type of the particular device, the at least oneprocessor of the EGM loads the new device driver from the at least onememory device to enable communication with the new device. For instance,one type of card reader in the EGM can be replaced with a seconddifferent type of card reader when device drivers for both card readersare stored in the at least one memory device.

In certain embodiments, the software units stored in the at least onememory device 1016 can be upgraded as needed. For instance, when the atleast one memory device 1016 is a hard drive, new games, new gameoptions, new parameters, new settings for existing parameters, newsettings for new parameters, new device drivers, and new communicationprotocols can be uploaded to the at least one memory device 1016 fromthe master game controller 1012 or from some other external device. Asanother example, when the at least one memory device 1016 includes aCD/DVD drive including a CD/DVD configured to store game options,parameters, and settings, the software stored in the at least one memorydevice 1016 can be upgraded by replacing a first CD/DVD with a secondCD/DVD. In yet another example, when the at least one memory device 1016uses flash memory 1019 or EPROM 1008 units configured to store games,game options, parameters, and settings, the software stored in the flashand/or EPROM memory units can be upgraded by replacing one or morememory units with new memory units that include the upgraded software.In another embodiment, one or more of the memory devices, such as thehard drive, may be employed in a game software download process from aremote software server.

In some embodiments, the at least one memory device 1016 also storesauthentication and/or validation components 1044 configured toauthenticate/validate specified EGM components and/or information, suchas hardware components, software components, firmware components,peripheral device components, user input device components, informationreceived from one or more user input devices, information stored in theat least one memory device 1016, etc. Examples of various authenticationand/or validation components are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,047,entitled “Electronic Gaming Apparatus Having Authentication Data Sets”.

In certain embodiments, the peripheral devices 1022 include severaldevice interfaces, such as: (1) at least one output device 1020including at least one display device 1035; (2) at least one inputdevice 1030 (which may include contact and/or non-contact interfaces);(3) at least one transponder 1054; (4) at least one wirelesscommunication component 1056; (5) at least one wired/wireless powerdistribution component 1058; (6) at least one sensor 1060; (7) at leastone data preservation component 1062; (8) at least one motion/gestureanalysis and interpretation component 1064; (9) at least one motiondetection component 1066; (10) at least one portable power source 1068;(11) at least one geolocation module 1076; (12) at least one useridentification module 1077; (13) at least one player/device trackingmodule 1078; and (14) at least one information filtering module 1079.

The at least one output device 1020 includes at least one display device1035 configured to display any game(s) displayed by the EGM and anysuitable information associated with such game(s). In certainembodiments, the display devices are connected to or mounted on ahousing of the EGM (described below). In various embodiments, thedisplay devices serve as digital glass configured to advertise certaingames or other aspects of the gaming establishment in which the EGM islocated. In various embodiments, the EGM includes one or more of thefollowing display devices: (a) a central display device; (b) a playertracking display configured to display various information regarding aplayer's player tracking status (as described below); (c) a secondary orupper display device in addition to the central display device and theplayer tracking display; (d) a credit display configured to display acurrent quantity of credits, amount of cash, account balance, or theequivalent; and (e) a bet display configured to display an amountwagered for one or more plays of one or more games. The example EGM 2000a illustrated in FIG. 5A includes a central display device 2116, aplayer tracking display 2140, a credit display 2120, and a bet display2122. The example EGM 2000 b illustrated in FIG. 5B includes a centraldisplay device 2116, an upper display device 2118, a player trackingdisplay 2140, a credit display 2120, and a bet display 2122.

In various embodiments, the display devices include, without limitation:a monitor, a television display, a plasma display, a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), a display based on light emitting diodes (LEDs), adisplay based on a plurality of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), adisplay based on polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs), a display basedon a plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitters (SEDs), a displayincluding a projected and/or reflected image, or any other suitableelectronic device or display mechanism. In certain embodiments, asdescribed above, the display device includes a touch-screen with anassociated touch-screen controller. The display devices may be of anysuitable sizes, shapes, and configurations.

The display devices of the EGM are configured to display one or moregame and/or non-game images, symbols, and indicia. In certainembodiments, the display devices of the EGM are configured to displayany suitable visual representation or exhibition of the movement ofobjects; dynamic lighting; video images; images of people, characters,places, things, and faces of cards; and the like. In certainembodiments, the display devices of the EGM are configured to displayone or more video reels, one or more video wheels, and/or one or morevideo dice. In other embodiments, certain of the displayed images,symbols, and indicia are in mechanical form. That is, in theseembodiments, the display device includes any electromechanical device,such as one or more rotatable wheels, one or more reels, and/or one ormore dice, configured to display at least one or a plurality of game orother suitable images, symbols, or indicia.

In various embodiments, the at least one output device 1020 includes apayout device. In these embodiments, after the EGM receives an actuationof a cashout device (described below), the EGM causes the payout deviceto provide a payment to the player. In one embodiment, the payout deviceis one or more of: (a) a ticket printer and dispenser configured toprint and dispense a ticket or credit slip associated with a monetaryvalue, wherein the ticket or credit slip may be redeemed for itsmonetary value via a cashier, a kiosk, or other suitable redemptionsystem; (b) a bill dispenser configured to dispense paper currency; (c)a coin dispenser configured to dispense coins or tokens (such as into acoin payout tray); and (d) any suitable combination thereof. The exampleEGMs 2000 a and 2000 b illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B each include aticket printer and dispenser 2136. Examples of ticket-in ticket-out(TITO) technology are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,429,361, entitled“Gaming Machine Information, Communication and Display System”; Ser. No.5,470,079, entitled “Gaming Machine Accounting and Monitoring System”;Ser. No. 5,265,874, entitled “Cashless Gaming Apparatus and Method”;Ser. No. 6,729,957, entitled “Gaming Method and Host Computer withTicket-In/Ticket-Out Capability”; Ser. No. 6,729,958, entitled “GamingSystem with Ticket-In/Ticket-Out Capability”; Ser. No. 6,736,725,entitled “Gaming Method and Host Computer with Ticket-In/Ticket-OutCapability”; Ser. No. 7,275,991, entitled “Slot Machine withTicket-In/Ticket-Out Capability”; Ser. No. 6,048,269, entitled “CoinlessSlot Machine System and Method”; and Ser. No. 5,290,003, entitled“Gaming Machine and Coupons”.

In certain embodiments, rather than dispensing bills, coins, or aphysical ticket having a monetary value to the player following receiptof an actuation of the cashout device, the payout device is configuredto cause a payment to be provided to the player in the form of anelectronic funds transfer, such as via a direct deposit into a bankaccount, a casino account, or a prepaid account of the player; via atransfer of funds onto an electronically recordable identification cardor smart card of the player; or via sending a virtual ticket having amonetary value to an electronic device of the player. Examples ofproviding payment using virtual tickets are described in U.S. Pat. No.8,613,659, entitled “Virtual Ticket-In and Ticket-Out on a GamingMachine”.

While any credit balances, any wagers, any values, and any awards aredescribed herein as amounts of monetary credits or currency, one or moreof such credit balances, such wagers, such values, and such awards maybe for non-monetary credits, promotional credits, of player trackingpoints or credits.

In certain embodiments, the at least one output device 1020 is a soundgenerating device controlled by one or more sound cards. In one suchembodiment, the sound generating device includes one or more speakers orother sound generating hardware and/or software configured to generatesounds, such as by playing music for any games or by playing music forother modes of the EGM, such as an attract mode. The example EGMs 2000 aand 2000 b illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B each include a plurality ofspeakers 2150. In another such embodiment, the EGM provides dynamicsounds coupled with attractive multimedia images displayed on one ormore of the display devices to provide an audio-visual representation orto otherwise display full-motion video with sound to attract players tothe EGM. In certain embodiments, the EGM displays a sequence of audioand/or visual attraction messages during idle periods to attractpotential players to the EGM. The videos may be customized to provideany appropriate information.

The at least one input device 1030 may include any suitable device thatenables an input signal to be produced and received by the at least oneprocessor 1010 of the EGM.

In one embodiment, the at least one input device 1030 includes a paymentdevice configured to communicate with the at least one processor of theEGM to fund the EGM. In certain embodiments, the payment device includesone or more of: (a) a bill acceptor into which paper money is insertedto fund the EGM; (b) a ticket acceptor into which a ticket or a voucheris inserted to fund the EGM; (c) a coin slot into which coins or tokensare inserted to fund the EGM; (d) a reader or a validator for creditcards, debit cards, or credit slips into which a credit card, debitcard, or credit slip is inserted to fund the EGM; (e) a playeridentification card reader into which a player identification card isinserted to fund the EGM; or (f) any suitable combination thereof. Theexample EGMs 2000 a and 2000 b illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B eachinclude a combined bill and ticket acceptor 2128 and a coin slot 2126.

In one embodiment, the at least one input device 1030 includes a paymentdevice configured to enable the EGM to be funded via an electronic fundstransfer, such as a transfer of funds from a bank account. In anotherembodiment, the EGM includes a payment device configured to communicatewith a mobile device of a player, such as a mobile phone, a radiofrequency identification tag, or any other suitable wired or wirelessdevice, to retrieve relevant information associated with that player tofund the EGM. Examples of funding an EGM via communication between theEGM and a mobile device (such as a mobile phone) of a player aredescribed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0344942,entitled “Avatar as Security Measure for Mobile Device Use withElectronic Gaming Machine”. When the EGM is funded, the at least oneprocessor determines the amount of funds entered and displays thecorresponding amount on a credit display or any other suitable displayas described below.

In certain embodiments, the at least one input device 1030 includes atleast one wagering or betting device. In various embodiments, the one ormore wagering or betting devices are each: (1) a mechanical buttonsupported by the housing of the EGM (such as a hard key or aprogrammable soft key), or (2) an icon displayed on a display device ofthe EGM (described below) that is actuatable via a touch screen of theEGM (described below) or via use of a suitable input device of the EGM(such as a mouse or a joystick). One such wagering or betting device isas a maximum wager or bet device that, when actuated, causes the EGM toplace a maximum wager on a play of a game. Another such wagering orbetting device is a repeat bet device that, when actuated, causes theEGM to place a wager that is equal to the previously-placed wager on aplay of a game. A further such wagering or betting device is a bet onedevice that, when actuated, causes the EGM to increase the wager by onecredit. Generally, upon actuation of one of the wagering or bettingdevices, the quantity of credits displayed in a credit meter (describedbelow) decreases by the amount of credits wagered, while the quantity ofcredits displayed in a bet display (described below) increases by theamount of credits wagered.

In various embodiments, the at least one input device 1030 includes atleast one game play activation device. In various embodiments, the oneor more game play initiation devices are each: (1) a mechanical buttonsupported by the housing of the EGM (such as a hard key or aprogrammable soft key), or (2) an icon displayed on a display device ofthe EGM (described below) that is actuatable via a touch screen of theEGM (described below) or via use of a suitable input device of the EGM(such as a mouse or a joystick). After a player appropriately funds theEGM and places a wager, the EGM activates the game play activationdevice to enable the player to actuate the game play activation deviceto initiate a play of a game on the EGM (or another suitable sequence ofevents associated with the EGM). After the EGM receives an actuation ofthe game play activation device, the EGM initiates the play of the game.The example EGMs 2000 a and 2000 b illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B eachinclude a game play activation device in the form of a game playinitiation button 2132. In other embodiments, the EGM begins game playautomatically upon appropriate funding rather than upon utilization ofthe game play activation device.

In other embodiments, the at least one input device 1030 includes acashout device. In various embodiments, the cashout device is: (1) amechanical button supported by the housing of the EGM (such as a hardkey or a programmable soft key), or (2) an icon displayed on a displaydevice of the EGM (described below) that is actuatable via a touchscreen of the EGM (described below) or via use of a suitable inputdevice of the EGM (such as a mouse or a joystick). When the EGM receivesan actuation of the cashout device from a player and the player has apositive (i.e., greater-than-zero) credit balance, the EGM initiates apayout associated with the player's credit balance. The example EGMs2000 a and 2000 b illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B each include a cashoutdevice in the form of a cashout button 2134.

In various embodiments, the at least one input device 1030 includes aplurality of buttons that are programmable by the EGM operator to, whenactuated, cause the EGM to perform particular functions. For instance,such buttons may be hard keys, programmable soft keys, or icons icondisplayed on a display device of the EGM (described below) that areactuatable via a touch screen of the EGM (described below) or via use ofa suitable input device of the EGM (such as a mouse or a joystick). Theexample EGMs 2000 a and 2000 b illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B eachinclude a plurality of such buttons 2130.

In certain embodiments, the at least one input device 1030 includes atouch-screen coupled to a touch-screen controller or othertouch-sensitive display overlay to enable interaction with any imagesdisplayed on a display device (as described below). One such inputdevice is a conventional touch-screen button panel. The touch-screen andthe touch-screen controller are connected to a video controller. Inthese embodiments, signals are input to the EGM by touching the touchscreen at the appropriate locations.

In embodiments including a player tracking system, as further describedbelow, the at least one input device 1030 includes a card reader incommunication with the at least one processor of the EGM. The exampleEGMs 2000 a and 2000 b illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B each include acard reader 2138. The card reader is configured to read a playeridentification card inserted into the card reader.

The at least one wireless communication component 1056 includes one ormore communication interfaces having different architectures andutilizing a variety of protocols, such as (but not limited to) 802.11(WiFi); 802.15 (including Bluetooth™); 802.16 (WiMax); 802.22; cellularstandards such as CDMA, CDMA2000, and WCDMA; Radio Frequency (e.g.,RFID); infrared; and Near Field Magnetic communication protocols. The atleast one wireless communication component 1056 transmits electrical,electromagnetic, or optical signals that carry digital data streams oranalog signals representing various types of information.

The at least one wired/wireless power distribution component 1058includes components or devices that are configured to provide power toother devices. For example, in one embodiment, the at least one powerdistribution component 1058 includes a magnetic induction system that isconfigured to provide wireless power to one or more user input devicesnear the EGM. In one embodiment, a user input device docking region isprovided, and includes a power distribution component that is configuredto recharge a user input device without requiring metal-to-metalcontact. In one embodiment, the at least one power distributioncomponent 1058 is configured to distribute power to one or more internalcomponents of the EGM, such as one or more rechargeable power sources(e.g., rechargeable batteries) located at the EGM.

In certain embodiments, the at least one sensor 1060 includes at leastone of: optical sensors, pressure sensors, RF sensors, infrared sensors,image sensors, thermal sensors, and biometric sensors. The at least onesensor 1060 may be used for a variety of functions, such as: detectingmovements and/or gestures of various objects within a predeterminedproximity to the EGM; detecting the presence and/or identity of variouspersons (e.g., players, casino employees, etc.), devices (e.g., userinput devices), and/or systems within a predetermined proximity to theEGM.

The at least one data preservation component 1062 is configured todetect or sense one or more events and/or conditions that, for example,may result in damage to the EGM and/or that may result in loss ofinformation associated with the EGM. Additionally, the data preservationsystem 1062 may be operable to initiate one or more appropriateaction(s) in response to the detection of such events/conditions.

The at least one motion/gesture analysis and interpretation component1064 is configured to analyze and/or interpret information relating todetected player movements and/or gestures to determine appropriateplayer input information relating to the detected player movementsand/or gestures. For example, in one embodiment, the at least onemotion/gesture analysis and interpretation component 1064 is configuredto perform one or more of the following functions: analyze the detectedgross motion or gestures of a player; interpret the player's motion orgestures (e.g., in the context of a casino game being played) toidentify instructions or input from the player; utilize the interpretedinstructions/input to advance the game state; etc. In other embodiments,at least a portion of these additional functions may be implemented at aremote system or device.

The at least one portable power source 1068 enables the EGM to operatein a mobile environment. For example, in one embodiment, the EGM 300includes one or more rechargeable batteries.

The at least one geolocation module 1076 is configured to acquiregeolocation information from one or more remote sources and use theacquired geolocation information to determine information relating to arelative and/or absolute position of the EGM. For example, in oneimplementation, the at least one geolocation module 1076 is configuredto receive GPS signal information for use in determining the position orlocation of the EGM. In another implementation, the at least onegeolocation module 1076 is configured to receive multiple wirelesssignals from multiple remote devices (e.g., EGMs, servers, wirelessaccess points, etc.) and use the signal information to computeposition/location information relating to the position or location ofthe EGM.

The at least one user identification module 1077 is configured todetermine the identity of the current user or current owner of the EGM.For example, in one embodiment, the current user is required to performa login process at the EGM in order to access one or more features.Alternatively, the EGM is configured to automatically determine theidentity of the current user based on one or more external signals, suchas an RFID tag or badge worn by the current user and that provides awireless signal to the EGM that is used to determine the identity of thecurrent user. In at least one embodiment, various security features areincorporated into the EGM to prevent unauthorized users from accessingconfidential or sensitive information.

The at least one information filtering module 1079 is configured toperform filtering (e.g., based on specified criteria) of selectedinformation to be displayed at one or more displays 1035 of the EGM.

In various embodiments, the EGM includes a plurality of communicationports configured to enable the at least one processor of the EGM tocommunicate with and to operate with external peripherals, such as:accelerometers, arcade sticks, bar code readers, bill validators,biometric input devices, bonus devices, button panels, card readers,coin dispensers, coin hoppers, display screens or other displays orvideo sources, expansion buses, information panels, keypads, lights,mass storage devices, microphones, motion sensors, motors, printers,reels, SCSI ports, solenoids, speakers, thumbsticks, ticket readers,touch screens, trackballs, touchpads, wheels, and wireless communicationdevices. U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,072 describes a variety of EGMs includingone or more communication ports that enable the EGMs to communicate andoperate with one or more external peripherals.

As generally described above, in certain embodiments, such as theexample EGMs 2000 a and 2000 b illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the EGMhas a support structure, housing, or cabinet that provides support for aplurality of the input devices and the output devices of the EGM.Further, the EGM is configured such that a player may operate it whilestanding or sitting. In various embodiments, the EGM is positioned on abase or stand, or is configured as a pub-style tabletop game (not shown)that a player may operate typically while sitting. As illustrated by thedifferent example EGMs 2000 a and 2000 b shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, EGMsmay have varying housing and display configurations.

In certain embodiments, the EGM is a device that has obtained approvalfrom a regulatory gaming commission, and in other embodiments, the EGMis a device that has not obtained approval from a regulatory gamingcommission.

The EGMs described above are merely three examples of different types ofEGMs. Certain of these example EGMs may include one or more elementsthat may not be included in all gaming systems, and these example EGMsmay not include one or more elements that are included in other gamingsystems. For example, certain EGMs include a coin acceptor while othersdo not.

Operation of Primary or Base Games and/or Secondary or Bonus Games

In various embodiments, an EGM may be implemented in one of a variety ofdifferent configurations. In various embodiments, the EGM may beimplemented as one of: (a) a dedicated EGM in which computerized gameprograms executable by the EGM for controlling any primary or base games(referred to herein as “primary games”) and/or any secondary or bonusgames or other functions (referred to herein as “secondary games”)displayed by the EGM are provided with the EGM before delivery to agaming establishment or before being provided to a player; and (b) achangeable EGM in which computerized game programs executable by the EGMfor controlling any primary games and/or secondary games displayed bythe EGM are downloadable or otherwise transferred to the EGM through adata network or remote communication link; from a USB drive, flashmemory card, or other suitable memory device; or in any other suitablemanner after the EGM is physically located in a gaming establishment orafter the EGM is provided to a player.

As generally explained above, in various embodiments in which the gamingsystem includes a central server, central controller, or remote host anda changeable EGM, the at least one memory device of the central server,central controller, or remote host stores different game programs andinstructions executable by the at least one processor of the changeableEGM to control one or more primary games and/or secondary gamesdisplayed by the changeable EGM. More specifically, each such executablegame program represents a different game or a different type of gamethat the at least one changeable EGM is configured to operate. In oneexample, certain of the game programs are executable by the changeableEGM to operate games having the same or substantially the same game playbut different paytables. In different embodiments, each executable gameprogram is associated with a primary game, a secondary game, or both. Incertain embodiments, an executable game program is executable by the atleast one processor of the at least one changeable EGM as a secondarygame to be played simultaneously with a play of a primary game (whichmay be downloaded to or otherwise stored on the at least one changeableEGM), or vice versa.

In operation of such embodiments, the central server, centralcontroller, or remote host is configured to communicate one or more ofthe stored executable game programs to the at least one processor of thechangeable EGM. In different embodiments, a stored executable gameprogram is communicated or delivered to the at least one processor ofthe changeable EGM by: (a) embedding the executable game program in adevice or a component (such as a microchip to be inserted into thechangeable EGM); (b) writing the executable game program onto a disc orother media; or (c) uploading or streaming the executable game programover a data network (such as a dedicated data network). After theexecutable game program is communicated from the central server, centralcontroller, or remote host to the changeable EGM, the at least oneprocessor of the changeable EGM executes the executable game program toenable the primary game and/or the secondary game associated with thatexecutable game program to be played using the display device(s) and/orthe input device(s) of the changeable EGM. That is, when an executablegame program is communicated to the at least one processor of thechangeable EGM, the at least one processor of the changeable EGM changesthe game or the type of game that may be played using the changeableEGM.

In certain embodiments, the gaming system randomly determines any gameoutcome(s) (such as a win outcome) and/or award(s) (such as a quantityof credits to award for the win outcome) for a play of a primary gameand/or a play of a secondary game based on probability data. In certainsuch embodiments, this random determination is provided throughutilization of an RNG, such as a true RNG or a pseudo RNG, or any othersuitable randomization process. In one such embodiment, each gameoutcome or award is associated with a probability, and the gaming systemgenerates the game outcome(s) and/or the award(s) to be provided basedon the associated probabilities. In these embodiments, since the gamingsystem generates game outcomes and/or awards randomly or based on one ormore probability calculations, there is no certainty that the gamingsystem will ever provide any specific game outcome and/or award.

In certain embodiments, the gaming system maintains one or morepredetermined pools or sets of predetermined game outcomes and/orawards. In certain such embodiments, upon generation or receipt of agame outcome and/or award request, the gaming system independentlyselects one of the predetermined game outcomes and/or awards from theone or more pools or sets. The gaming system flags or marks the selectedgame outcome and/or award as used. Once a game outcome or an award isflagged as used, it is prevented from further selection from itsrespective pool or set; that is, the gaming system does not select thatgame outcome or award upon another game outcome and/or award request.The gaming system provides the selected game outcome and/or award.Examples of this type of award evaluation are described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,470,183, entitled “Finite Pool Gaming Method and Apparatus”; Ser.No. 7,563,163, entitled “Gaming Device Including Outcome Pools forProviding Game Outcomes”; Ser. No. 7,833,092, entitled “Method andSystem for Compensating for Player Choice in a Game of Chance”; Ser. No.8,070,579, entitled “Bingo System with Downloadable Common Patterns”;and Ser. No. 8,398,472, entitled “Central Determination Poker Game”.

In certain embodiments, the gaming system determines a predeterminedgame outcome and/or award based on the results of a bingo, keno, orlottery game. In certain such embodiments, the gaming system utilizesone or more bingo, keno, or lottery games to determine the predeterminedgame outcome and/or award provided for a primary game and/or a secondarygame. The gaming system is provided or associated with a bingo card.Each bingo card consists of a matrix or array of elements, wherein eachelement is designated with separate indicia. After a bingo card isprovided, the gaming system randomly selects or draws a plurality of theelements. As each element is selected, a determination is made as towhether the selected element is present on the bingo card. If theselected element is present on the bingo card, that selected element onthe provided bingo card is marked or flagged. This process of selectingelements and marking any selected elements on the provided bingo cardscontinues until one or more predetermined patterns are marked on one ormore of the provided bingo cards. After one or more predeterminedpatterns are marked on one or more of the provided bingo cards, gameoutcome and/or award is determined based, at least in part, on theselected elements on the provided bingo cards. Examples of this type ofaward determination are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,753,774, entitled“Using Multiple Bingo Cards to Represent Multiple Slot Paylines andOther Class III Game Options”; Ser. No. 7,731,581, entitled“Multi-Player Bingo Game with Multiple Alternative Outcome Displays”;Ser. No. 7,955,170, entitled “Providing Non-Bingo Outcomes for a BingoGame”; Ser. No. 8,070,579, entitled “Bingo System with DownloadableCommon Patterns”; and Ser. No. 8,500,538, entitled “Bingo Gaming Systemand Method for Providing Multiple Outcomes from Single Bingo Pattern”.

In certain embodiments in which the gaming system includes a centralserver, central controller, or remote host and an EGM, the EGM isconfigured to communicate with the central server, central controller,or remote host for monitoring purposes only. In such embodiments, theEGM determines the game outcome(s) and/or award(s) to be provided in anyof the manners described above, and the central server, centralcontroller, or remote host monitors the activities and events occurringon the EGM. In one such embodiment, the gaming system includes areal-time or online accounting and gaming information system configuredto communicate with the central server, central controller, or remotehost. In this embodiment, the accounting and gaming information systemincludes: (a) a player database configured to store player profiles, (b)a player tracking module configured to track players (as describedbelow), and (c) a credit system configured to provide automatedtransactions. Examples of such accounting systems are described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,913,534, entitled “Gaming Machine Having a Lottery Game andCapability for Integration with Gaming Device Accounting System andPlayer Tracking System,” and Ser. No. 8,597,116, entitled “VirtualPlayer Tracking and Related Services”.

As noted above, in various embodiments, the gaming system includes oneor more executable game programs executable by at least one processor ofthe gaming system to provide one or more primary games and one or moresecondary games. The primary game(s) and the secondary game(s) maycomprise any suitable games and/or wagering games, such as, but notlimited to: electro-mechanical or video slot or spinning reel typegames; video card games such as video draw poker, multi-hand video drawpoker, other video poker games, video blackjack games, and videobaccarat games; video keno games; video bingo games; and video selectiongames.

In certain embodiments in which the primary game is a slot or spinningreel type game, the gaming system includes one or more reels in eitheran electromechanical form with mechanical rotating reels or in a videoform with simulated reels and movement thereof. Each reel displays aplurality of indicia or symbols, such as bells, hearts, fruits, numbers,letters, bars, or other images that typically correspond to a themeassociated with the gaming system. In certain such embodiments, thegaming system includes one or more paylines associated with the reels.The example EGM 2000 b shown in FIG. 5B includes a payline 1152 and aplurality of reels 1154. In certain embodiments, one or more of thereels are independent reels or unisymbol reels. In such embodiments,each independent reel generates and displays one symbol.

In various embodiments, one or more of the paylines is horizontal,vertical, circular, diagonal, angled, or any suitable combinationthereof. In other embodiments, each of one or more of the paylines isassociated with a plurality of adjacent symbol display areas on arequisite number of adjacent reels. In one such embodiment, one or morepaylines are formed between at least two symbol display areas that areadjacent to each other by either sharing a common side or sharing acommon corner (i.e., such paylines are connected paylines). The gamingsystem enables a wager to be placed on one or more of such paylines toactivate such paylines. In other embodiments in which one or morepaylines are formed between at least two adjacent symbol display areas,the gaming system enables a wager to be placed on a plurality of symboldisplay areas, which activates those symbol display areas.

In various embodiments, the gaming system provides one or more awardsafter a spin of the reels when specified types and/or configurations ofthe indicia or symbols on the reels occur on an active payline orotherwise occur in a winning pattern, occur on the requisite number ofadjacent reels, and/or occur in a scatter pay arrangement.

In certain embodiments, the gaming system employs a ways to win awarddetermination. In these embodiments, any outcome to be provided isdetermined based on a number of associated symbols that are generated inactive symbol display areas on the requisite number of adjacent reels(i.e., not on paylines passing through any displayed winning symbolcombinations). If a winning symbol combination is generated on thereels, one award for that occurrence of the generated winning symbolcombination is provided. Examples of ways to win award determinationsare described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,012,011, entitled “Gaming Device andMethod Having Independent Reels and Multiple Ways of Winning”; Ser. No.8,241,104, entitled “Gaming Device and Method Having Designated Rulesfor Determining Ways To Win”; and Ser. No. 8,430,739, entitled “GamingSystem and Method Having Wager Dependent Different Symbol Evaluations”.

In various embodiments, the gaming system includes a progressive award.Typically, a progressive award includes an initial amount and anadditional amount funded through a portion of each wager placed toinitiate a play of a primary game. When one or more triggering eventsoccurs, the gaming system provides at least a portion of the progressiveaward. After the gaming system provides the progressive award, an amountof the progressive award is reset to the initial amount and a portion ofeach subsequent wager is allocated to the next progressive award.Examples of progressive gaming systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,585,223, entitled “Server Based Gaming System Having MultipleProgressive Awards”; Ser. No. 7,651,392, entitled “Gaming Device SystemHaving Partial Progressive Payout”; Ser. No. 7,666,093, entitled “GamingMethod and Device Involving Progressive Wagers”; Ser. No. 7,780,523,entitled “Server Based Gaming System Having Multiple ProgressiveAwards”; and Ser. No. 8,337,298, entitled “Gaming Device Having MultipleDifferent Types of Progressive Awards”.

As generally noted above, in addition to providing winning credits orother awards for one or more plays of the primary game(s), in variousembodiments the gaming system provides credits or other awards for oneor more plays of one or more secondary games. The secondary gametypically enables an award to be obtained addition to any award obtainedthrough play of the primary game(s). The secondary game(s) typicallyproduces a higher level of player excitement than the primary game(s)because the secondary game(s) provides a greater expectation of winningthan the primary game(s) and is accompanied with more attractive orunusual features than the primary game(s). The secondary game(s) may beany type of suitable game, either similar to or completely differentfrom the primary game.

In various embodiments, the gaming system automatically provides orinitiates the secondary game upon the occurrence of a triggering eventor the satisfaction of a qualifying condition. In other embodiments, thegaming system initiates the secondary game upon the occurrence of thetriggering event or the satisfaction of the qualifying condition andupon receipt of an initiation input. In certain embodiments, thetriggering event or qualifying condition is a selected outcome in theprimary game(s) or a particular arrangement of one or more indicia on adisplay device for a play of the primary game(s), such as a “BONUS”symbol appearing on three adjacent reels along a payline following aspin of the reels for a play of the primary game. In other embodiments,the triggering event or qualifying condition occurs based on a certainamount of game play (such as number of games, number of credits, amountof time) being exceeded, or based on a specified number of points beingearned during game play. Any suitable triggering event or qualifyingcondition or any suitable combination of a plurality of differenttriggering events or qualifying conditions may be employed.

In other embodiments, at least one processor of the gaming systemrandomly determines when to provide one or more plays of one or moresecondary games. In one such embodiment, no apparent reason is providedfor providing the secondary game. In this embodiment, qualifying for asecondary game is not triggered by the occurrence of an event in anyprimary game or based specifically on any of the plays of any primarygame. That is, qualification is provided without any explanation or,alternatively, with a simple explanation. In another such embodiment,the gaming system determines qualification for a secondary game at leastpartially based on a game triggered or symbol triggered event, such asat least partially based on play of a primary game.

In various embodiments, after qualification for a secondary game hasbeen determined, the secondary game participation may be enhancedthrough continued play on the primary game. Thus, in certainembodiments, for each secondary game qualifying event, such as asecondary game symbol, that is obtained, a given number of secondarygame wagering points or credits is accumulated in a “secondary gamemeter” configured to accrue the secondary game wagering credits orentries toward eventual participation in the secondary game. In one suchembodiment, the occurrence of multiple such secondary game qualifyingevents in the primary game results in an arithmetic or exponentialincrease in the number of secondary game wagering credits awarded. Inanother such embodiment, any extra secondary game wagering credits maybe redeemed during the secondary game to extend play of the secondarygame.

In certain embodiments, no separate entry fee or buy-in for thesecondary game is required. That is, entry into the secondary gamecannot be purchased; rather, in these embodiments entry must be won orearned through play of the primary game, thereby encouraging play of theprimary game. In other embodiments, qualification for the secondary gameis accomplished through a simple “buy-in.” For example, qualificationthrough other specified activities is unsuccessful, payment of a fee orplacement of an additional wager “buys-in” to the secondary game. Incertain embodiments, a separate side wager must be placed on thesecondary game or a wager of a designated amount must be placed on theprimary game to enable qualification for the secondary game. In theseembodiments, the secondary game triggering event must occur and the sidewager (or designated primary game wager amount) must have been placedfor the secondary game to trigger.

In various embodiments in which the gaming system includes a pluralityof EGMs, the EGMs are configured to communicate with one another toprovide a group gaming environment. In certain such embodiments, theEGMs enable players of those EGMs to work in conjunction with oneanother, such as by enabling the players to play together as a team orgroup, to win one or more awards. In other such embodiments, the EGMsenable players of those EGMs to compete against one another for one ormore awards. In one such embodiment, the EGMs enable the players ofthose EGMs to participate in one or more gaming tournaments for one ormore awards. Examples of group gaming systems are described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 8,070,583, entitled “Server Based Gaming System and Method forSelectively Providing One or More Different Tournaments”; Ser. No.8,500,548, entitled “Gaming System and Method for Providing TeamProgressive Awards”; and Ser. No. 8,562,423, entitled “Method andApparatus for Rewarding Multiple Game Players for a Single Win”.

In various embodiments, the gaming system includes one or more playertracking systems. Such player tracking systems enable operators of thegaming system (such as casinos or other gaming establishments) torecognize the value of customer loyalty by identifying frequentcustomers and rewarding them for their patronage. Such a player trackingsystem is configured to track a player's gaming activity. In one suchembodiment, the player tracking system does so through the use of playertracking cards. In this embodiment, a player is issued a playeridentification card that has an encoded player identification numberthat uniquely identifies the player. When the player's playing trackingcard is inserted into a card reader of the gaming system to begin agaming session, the card reader reads the player identification numberoff the player tracking card to identify the player. The gaming systemtimely tracks any suitable information or data relating to theidentified player's gaming session. The gaming system also timely trackswhen the player tracking card is removed to conclude play for thatgaming session. In another embodiment, rather than requiring insertionof a player tracking card into the card reader, the gaming systemutilizes one or more portable devices, such as a mobile phone, a radiofrequency identification tag, or any other suitable wireless device, totrack when a gaming session begins and ends. In another embodiment, thegaming system utilizes any suitable biometric technology or tickettechnology to track when a gaming session begins and ends.

In such embodiments, during one or more gaming sessions, the gamingsystem tracks any suitable information or data, such as any amountswagered, average wager amounts, and/or the time at which these wagersare placed. In different embodiments, for one or more players, theplayer tracking system includes the player's account number, theplayer's card number, the player's first name, the player's surname, theplayer's preferred name, the player's player tracking ranking, anypromotion status associated with the player's player tracking card, theplayer's address, the player's birthday, the player's anniversary, theplayer's recent gaming sessions, or any other suitable data. In variousembodiments, such tracked information and/or any suitable featureassociated with the player tracking system is displayed on a playertracking display. In various embodiments, such tracked informationand/or any suitable feature associated with the player tracking systemis displayed via one or more service windows that are displayed on thecentral display device and/or the upper display device. Examples ofplayer tracking systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,722,985,entitled “Universal Player Tracking System”; Ser. No. 6,908,387,entitled “Player Tracking Communication Mechanisms in a Gaming Machine”;Ser. No. 7,311,605, entitled “Player Tracking Assembly for CompletePatron Tracking for Both Gaming and Non-Gaming Casino Activity”; Ser.No. 7,611,411, entitled “Player Tracking Instruments Having MultipleCommunication Modes”; Ser. No. 7,617,151, entitled “Alternative PlayerTracking Techniques”; and Ser. No. 8,057,298, entitled “Virtual PlayerTracking and Related Services”.

Web-based gaming

In various embodiments, the gaming system includes one or more serversconfigured to communicate with a personal gaming device—such as asmartphone, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, or a laptopcomputer—to enable web-based game play using the personal gaming device.In various embodiments, the player must first access a gaming websitevia an Internet browser of the personal gaming device or execute anapplication (commonly called an “app”) installed on the personal gamingdevice before the player can use the personal gaming device toparticipate in web-based game play. In certain embodiments, the one ormore servers and the personal gaming device operate in a thin-clientenvironment. In these embodiments, the personal gaming device receivesinputs via one or more input devices (such as a touch screen and/orphysical buttons), the personal gaming device sends the received inputsto the one or more servers, the one or more servers make variousdeterminations based on the inputs and determine content to be displayed(such as a randomly determined game outcome and corresponding award),the one or more servers send the content to the personal gaming device,and the personal gaming device displays the content.

In certain such embodiments, the one or more servers must identify theplayer before enabling game play on the personal gaming device (or, insome embodiments, before enabling monetary wager-based game play on thepersonal gaming device). In these embodiments, the player must identifyherself to the one or more servers, such as by inputting the player'sunique username and password combination (or in any other mannersdescribed above.

Once identified, the one or more servers enable the player to establishan account balance from which the player can draw credits usable towager on plays of a game. In certain embodiments, the one or moreservers enable the player to initiate an electronic funds transfer totransfer funds from a bank account to the player's account balance. Inother embodiments, the one or more servers enable the player to make apayment using the player's credit card, debit card, or other suitabledevice to add money to the player's account balance. In otherembodiments, the one or more servers enable the player to add money tothe player's account balance via a peer-to-peer type application, suchas PayPal or Venmo. The one or more servers also enable the player tocash out the player's account balance (or part of it) in any suitablemanner, such as via an electronic funds transfer or by initiatingcreation of a paper check that is mailed to the player.

In certain embodiments, the one or more servers include a payment serverthat handles establishing and cashing out players' account balances anda separate game server configured to determine the outcome and anyassociated award for a play of a game. In these embodiments, the gameserver is configured to communicate with the personal gaming device andthe payment device, and the personal gaming device and the paymentdevice are not configured to directly communicate with one another. Inthese embodiments, when the game server receives data representing arequest to start a play of a game at a desired wager, the game serversends data representing the desired wager to the payment server. Thepayment server determines whether the player's account balance can coverthe desired wager (i.e., includes a monetary balance at least equal tothe desired wager).

If the payment server determines that the player's account balancecannot cover the desired wager, the payment server notifies the gameserver, which then instructs the personal gaming device to display asuitable notification to the player that the player's account balance istoo low to place the desired wager. If the payment server determinesthat the player's account balance can cover the desired wager, thepayment server deducts the desired wager from the account balance andnotifies the game server. The game server then determines an outcome andany associated award for the play of the game. The game server notifiesthe payment server of any nonzero award, and the payment serverincreases the player's account balance by the nonzero award. The gameserver sends data representing the outcome and any award to the personalgaming device, which displays the outcome and any award.

In certain embodiments, the one or more servers enable web-based gameplay using a personal gaming device only if the personal gaming devicesatisfies one or more jurisdictional requirements. In one embodiment,the one or more servers enable web-based game play using the personalgaming device only if the personal gaming device is located within adesignated geographic area (such as within certain state or countylines). In this embodiment, the geolocation module of the personalgaming device determines the location of the personal gaming device andsends the location to the one or more servers, which determine whetherthe personal gaming device is located within the designated geographicarea. In various embodiments, the one or more servers enablenon-monetary wager-based game play if the personal gaming device islocated outside of the designated geographic area.

In various embodiments, the gaming system includes an EGM configured tocommunicate with a personal gaming device—such as a smartphone, a tabletcomputer, a desktop computer, or a laptop computer—to enable tetheredmobile game play using the personal gaming device. Generally, in theseembodiments, the EGM establishes communication with the personal gamingdevice and enables the player to play games on the EGM remotely via thepersonal gaming device. In certain embodiments, the gaming systemincludes a geo-fence system that enables tethered game play within aparticular geographic area but not outside of that geographic area.Examples of tethering an EGM to a personal gaming device and geo-fencingare described in U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. No. 2013/0267324, entitled“Remote Gaming Method Allowing Temporary Inactivation WithoutTerminating Playing Session Due to Game Inactivity”.

Social Network Integration

In certain embodiments, the gaming system is configured to communicatewith a social network server that hosts or partially hosts a socialnetworking website via a data network (such as the Internet) tointegrate a player's gaming experience with the player's socialnetworking account. This enables the gaming system to send certaininformation to the social network server that the social network servercan use to create content (such as text, an image, and/or a video) andpost it to the player's wall, newsfeed, or similar area of the socialnetworking website accessible by the player's connections (and incertain cases the public) such that the player's connections can viewthat information. This also enables the gaming system to receive certaininformation from the social network server, such as the player's likesor dislikes or the player's list of connections. In certain embodiments,the gaming system enables the player to link the player's player accountto the player's social networking account(s). This enables the gamingsystem to, once it identifies the player and initiates a gaming session(such as via the player logging in to a website (or an application) onthe player's personal gaming device or via the player inserting theplayer's player tracking card into an EGM), link that gaming session tothe player's social networking account(s). In other embodiments, thegaming system enables the player to link the player's social networkingaccount(s) to individual gaming sessions when desired by providing therequired login information.

For instance, in one embodiment, if a player wins a particular award(e.g., a progressive award or a jackpot award) or an award that exceedsa certain threshold (e.g., an award exceeding $1,000), the gaming systemsends information about the award to the social network server to enablethe server to create associated content (such as a screenshot of theoutcome and associated award) and to post that content to the player'swall (or other suitable area) of the social networking website for theplayer's connections to see (and to entice them to play). In anotherembodiment, if a player joins a multiplayer game and there is anotherseat available, the gaming system sends that information to the socialnetwork sever to enable the server to create associated content (such astext indicating a vacancy for that particular game) and to post thatcontent to the player's wall (or other suitable area) of the socialnetworking website for the player's connections to see (and to enticethem to fill the vacancy). In another embodiment, if the playerconsents, the gaming system sends advertisement information or offerinformation to the social network server to enable the social networkserver to create associated content (such as text or an image reflectingan advertisement and/or an offer) and to post that content to theplayer's wall (or other suitable area) of the social networking websitefor the player's connections to see. In another embodiment, the gamingsystem enables the player to recommend a game to the player'sconnections by posting a recommendation to the player's wall (or othersuitable area) of the social networking website.

Differentiating Certain Gaming Systems from General Purpose ComputingDevices

Certain of the gaming systems described herein, such as EGMs located ina casino or another gaming establishment, include certain componentsand/or are configured to operate in certain manners that differentiatethese systems from general purpose computing devices, i.e., certainpersonal gaming devices such as desktop computers and laptop computers.

For instance, EGMs are highly regulated to ensure fairness and, in manycases, EGMs are configured to award monetary awards up to multiplemillions of dollars. To satisfy security and regulatory requirements ina gaming environment, hardware and/or software architectures areimplemented in EGMs that differ significantly from those of generalpurpose computing devices. For purposes of illustration, a descriptionof EGMs relative to general purpose computing devices and some examplesof these additional (or different) hardware and/or softwarearchitectures found in EGMs are described below.

At first glance, one might think that adapting general purpose computingdevice technologies to the gaming industry and EGMs would be a simpleproposition because both general purpose computing devices and EGMsemploy processors that control a variety of devices. However, due to atleast: (1) the regulatory requirements placed on EGMs, (2) the harshenvironment in which EGMs operate, (3) security requirements, and (4)fault tolerance requirements, adapting general purpose computing devicetechnologies to EGMs can be quite difficult. Further, techniques andmethods for solving a problem in the general purpose computing deviceindustry, such as device compatibility and connectivity issues, mightnot be adequate in the gaming industry. For instance, a fault or aweakness tolerated in a general purpose computing device, such assecurity holes in software or frequent crashes, is not tolerated in anEGM because in an EGM these faults can lead to a direct loss of fundsfrom the EGM, such as stolen cash or loss of revenue when the EGM is notoperating properly or when the random outcome determination ismanipulated.

Certain differences between general purpose computing devices and EGMsare described below. A first difference between EGMs and general purposecomputing devices is that EGMs are state-based systems. A state-basedsystem stores and maintains its current state in a non-volatile memorysuch that, in the event of a power failure or other malfunction, thestate-based system can return to that state when the power is restoredor the malfunction is remedied. For instance, for a state-based EGM, ifthe EGM displays an award for a game of chance but the power to the EGMfails before the EGM provides the award to the player, the EGM storesthe pre-power failure state in a non-volatile memory, returns to thatstate upon restoration of power, and provides the award to the player.This requirement affects the software and hardware design on EGMs.General purpose computing devices are not state-based machines, and amajority of data is usually lost when a malfunction occurs on a generalpurpose computing device.

A second difference between EGMs and general purpose computing devicesis that, for regulatory purposes, the software on the EGM utilized tooperate the EGM has been designed to be static and monolithic to preventcheating by the operator of the EGM. For instance, one solution that hasbeen employed in the gaming industry to prevent cheating and to satisfyregulatory requirements has been to manufacture an EGM that can use aproprietary processor running instructions to provide the game of chancefrom an EPROM or other form of non-volatile memory. The codinginstructions on the EPROM are static (non-changeable) and must beapproved by a gaming regulators in a particular jurisdiction andinstalled in the presence of a person representing the gamingjurisdiction. Any changes to any part of the software required togenerate the game of chance, such as adding a new device driver used tooperate a device during generation of the game of chance, can requireburning a new EPROM approved by the gaming jurisdiction and reinstallingthe new EPROM on the EGM in the presence of a gaming regulator.Regardless of whether the EPROM solution is used, to gain approval inmost gaming jurisdictions, an EGM must demonstrate sufficient safeguardsthat prevent an operator or a player of an EGM from manipulating theEGM's hardware and software in a manner that gives him an unfair, and insome cases illegal, advantage.

A third difference between EGMs and general purpose computing devices isauthentication—EGMs storing code are configured to authenticate the codeto determine if the code is unaltered before executing the code. If thecode has been altered, the EGM prevents the code from being executed.The code authentication requirements in the gaming industry affect bothhardware and software designs on EGMs. Certain EGMs use hash functionsto authenticate code. For instance, one EGM stores game program code, ahash function, and an authentication hash (which may be encrypted).Before executing the game program code, the EGM hashes the game programcode using the hash function to obtain a result hash and compares theresult hash to the authentication hash. If the result hash matches theauthentication hash, the EGM determines that the game program code isvalid and executes the game program code. If the result hash does notmatch the authentication hash, the EGM determines that the game programcode has been altered (i.e., may have been tampered with) and preventsexecution of the game program code. Examples of EGM code authenticationare described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,530, entitled “Authentication in aSecure Computerized Gaming System”; U.S. Pat. No. 7,043,641, entitled“Encryption in a Secure Computerized Gaming System”; U.S. Pat. No.7,201,662, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Software Authentication”;and U.S. Pat. No. 8,627,097, entitled “System and Method EnablingParallel Processing of Hash Functions Using Authentication CheckpointHashes”.

A fourth difference between EGMs and general purpose computing devicesis that EGMs have unique peripheral device requirements that differ fromthose of a general purpose computing device, such as peripheral devicesecurity requirements not usually addressed by general purpose computingdevices. For instance, monetary devices, such as coin dispensers, billvalidators, and ticket printers and computing devices that are used togovern the input and output of cash or other items having monetary value(such as tickets) to and from an EGM have security requirements that arenot typically addressed in general purpose computing devices. Therefore,many general purpose computing device techniques and methods developedto facilitate device connectivity and device compatibility do notaddress the emphasis placed on security in the gaming industry.

To address some of the issues described above, a number ofhardware/software components and architectures are utilized in EGMs thatare not typically found in general purpose computing devices. Thesehardware/software components and architectures, as described below inmore detail, include but are not limited to watchdog timers, voltagemonitoring systems, state-based software architecture and supportinghardware, specialized communication interfaces, security monitoring, andtrusted memory.

Certain EGMs use a watchdog timer to provide a software failuredetection mechanism. In a normally-operating EGM, the operating softwareperiodically accesses control registers in the watchdog timer subsystemto “re-trigger” the watchdog. Should the operating software fail toaccess the control registers within a preset timeframe, the watchdogtimer will timeout and generate a system reset. Typical watchdog timercircuits include a loadable timeout counter register to enable theoperating software to set the timeout interval within a certain range oftime. A differentiating feature of some circuits is that the operatingsoftware cannot completely disable the function of the watchdog timer.In other words, the watchdog timer always functions from the time poweris applied to the board.

Certain EGMs use several power supply voltages to operate portions ofthe computer circuitry. These can be generated in a central power supplyor locally on the computer board. If any of these voltages falls out ofthe tolerance limits of the circuitry they power, unpredictableoperation of the EGM may result. Though most modern general purposecomputing devices include voltage monitoring circuitry, these types ofcircuits only report voltage status to the operating software. Out oftolerance voltages can cause software malfunction, creating a potentialuncontrolled condition in the general purpose computing device. CertainEGMs have power supplies with relatively tighter voltage margins thanthat required by the operating circuitry. In addition, the voltagemonitoring circuitry implemented in certain EGMs typically has twothresholds of control. The first threshold generates a software eventthat can be detected by the operating software and an error conditionthen generated. This threshold is triggered when a power supply voltagefalls out of the tolerance range of the power supply, but is stillwithin the operating range of the circuitry. The second threshold is setwhen a power supply voltage falls out of the operating tolerance of thecircuitry. In this case, the circuitry generates a reset, haltingoperation of the EGM.

As described above, certain EGMs are state-based machines. Differentfunctions of the game provided by the EGM (e.g., bet, play, result,points in the graphical presentation, etc.) may be defined as a state.When the EGM moves a game from one state to another, the EGM storescritical data regarding the game software in a custom non-volatilememory subsystem. This ensures that the player's wager and credits arepreserved and to minimize potential disputes in the event of amalfunction on the EGM. In general, the EGM does not advance from afirst state to a second state until critical information that enablesthe first state to be reconstructed has been stored. This featureenables the EGM to recover operation to the current state of play in theevent of a malfunction, loss of power, etc. that occurred just beforethe malfunction. In at least one embodiment, the EGM is configured tostore such critical information using atomic transactions.

Generally, an atomic operation in computer science refers to a set ofoperations that can be combined so that they appear to the rest of thesystem to be a single operation with only two possible outcomes: successor failure. As related to data storage, an atomic transaction may becharacterized as series of database operations which either all occur,or all do not occur. A guarantee of atomicity prevents updates to thedatabase occurring only partially, which can result in data corruption.

To ensure the success of atomic transactions relating to criticalinformation to be stored in the EGM memory before a failure event (e.g.,malfunction, loss of power, etc.), memory that includes one or more ofthe following criteria be used: direct memory access capability; dataread/write capability which meets or exceeds minimum read/write accesscharacteristics (such as at least 5.08 Mbytes/sec (Read) and/or at least38.0 Mbytes/sec (Write)). Memory devices that meet or exceed the abovecriteria may be referred to as “fault-tolerant” memory devices.

Typically, battery-backed RAM devices may be configured to function asfault-tolerant devices according to the above criteria, whereas flashRAM and/or disk drive memory are typically not configurable to functionas fault-tolerant devices according to the above criteria. Accordingly,battery-backed RAM devices are typically used to preserve EGM criticaldata, although other types of non-volatile memory devices may beemployed. These memory devices are typically not used in typical generalpurpose computing devices.

Thus, in at least one embodiment, the EGM is configured to storecritical information in fault-tolerant memory (e.g., battery-backed RAMdevices) using atomic transactions. Further, in at least one embodiment,the fault-tolerant memory is able to successfully complete all desiredatomic transactions (e.g., relating to the storage of EGM criticalinformation) within a time period of 200 milliseconds or less. In atleast one embodiment, the time period of 200 milliseconds represents amaximum amount of time for which sufficient power may be available tothe various EGM components after a power outage event has occurred atthe EGM.

As described previously, the EGM may not advance from a first state to asecond state until critical information that enables the first state tobe reconstructed has been atomically stored. After the state of the EGMis restored during the play of a game of chance, game play may resumeand the game may be completed in a manner that is no different than ifthe malfunction had not occurred. Thus, for example, when a malfunctionoccurs during a game of chance, the EGM may be restored to a state inthe game of chance just before when the malfunction occurred. Therestored state may include metering information and graphicalinformation that was displayed on the EGM in the state before themalfunction. For example, when the malfunction occurs during the play ofa card game after the cards have been dealt, the EGM may be restoredwith the cards that were previously displayed as part of the card game.As another example, a bonus game may be triggered during the play of agame of chance in which a player is required to make a number ofselections on a video display screen. When a malfunction has occurredafter the player has made one or more selections, the EGM may berestored to a state that shows the graphical presentation just beforethe malfunction including an indication of selections that have alreadybeen made by the player. In general, the EGM may be restored to anystate in a plurality of states that occur in the game of chance thatoccurs while the game of chance is played or to states that occurbetween the play of a game of chance.

Game history information regarding previous games played such as anamount wagered, the outcome of the game, and the like may also be storedin a non-volatile memory device. The information stored in thenon-volatile memory may be detailed enough to reconstruct a portion ofthe graphical presentation that was previously presented on the EGM andthe state of the EGM (e.g., credits) at the time the game of chance wasplayed. The game history information may be utilized in the event of adispute. For example, a player may decide that in a previous game ofchance that they did not receive credit for an award that they believedthey won. The game history information may be used to reconstruct thestate of the EGM before, during, and/or after the disputed game todemonstrate whether the player was correct or not in the player'sassertion. Examples of a state-based EGM, recovery from malfunctions,and game history are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,804,763, entitled“High Performance Battery Backed RAM Interface”; U.S. Pat. No.6,863,608, entitled “Frame Capture of Actual Game Play”; U.S. Pat. No.7,111,141, entitled “Dynamic NV-RAM”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,384,339,entitled, “Frame Capture of Actual Game Play”.

Another feature of EGMs is that they often include unique interfaces,including serial interfaces, to connect to specific subsystems internaland external to the EGM. The serial devices may have electricalinterface requirements that differ from the “standard” EIA serialinterfaces provided by general purpose computing devices. Theseinterfaces may include, for example, Fiber Optic Serial, opticallycoupled serial interfaces, current loop style serial interfaces, etc. Inaddition, to conserve serial interfaces internally in the EGM, serialdevices may be connected in a shared, daisy-chain fashion in whichmultiple peripheral devices are connected to a single serial channel.

The serial interfaces may be used to transmit information usingcommunication protocols that are unique to the gaming industry. Forexample, IGT's Netplex is a proprietary communication protocol used forserial communication between EGMs. As another example, SAS is acommunication protocol used to transmit information, such as meteringinformation, from an EGM to a remote device. Often SAS is used inconjunction with a player tracking system.

Certain EGMs may alternatively be treated as peripheral devices to acasino communication controller and connected in a shared daisy chainfashion to a single serial interface. In both cases, the peripheraldevices are assigned device addresses. If so, the serial controllercircuitry must implement a method to generate or detect unique deviceaddresses. General purpose computing device serial ports are not able todo this.

Security monitoring circuits detect intrusion into an EGM by monitoringsecurity switches attached to access doors in the EGM cabinet. Accessviolations result in suspension of game play and can trigger additionalsecurity operations to preserve the current state of game play. Thesecircuits also function when power is off by use of a battery backup. Inpower-off operation, these circuits continue to monitor the access doorsof the EGM. When power is restored, the EGM can determine whether anysecurity violations occurred while power was off, e.g., via software forreading status registers. This can trigger event log entries and furtherdata authentication operations by the EGM software.

Trusted memory devices and/or trusted memory sources are included in anEGM to ensure the authenticity of the software that may be stored onless secure memory subsystems, such as mass storage devices. Trustedmemory devices and controlling circuitry are typically designed to notenable modification of the code and data stored in the memory devicewhile the memory device is installed in the EGM. The code and datastored in these devices may include authentication algorithms, randomnumber generators, authentication keys, operating system kernels, etc.The purpose of these trusted memory devices is to provide gamingregulatory authorities a root trusted authority within the computingenvironment of the EGM that can be tracked and verified as original.This may be accomplished via removal of the trusted memory device fromthe EGM computer and verification of the secure memory device contentsis a separate third party verification device. Once the trusted memorydevice is verified as authentic, and based on the approval of theverification algorithms included in the trusted device, the EGM isenabled to verify the authenticity of additional code and data that maybe located in the gaming computer assembly, such as code and data storedon hard disk drives. Examples of trusted memory devices are described inU.S. Pat. No. 6,685,567, entitled “Process Verification”.

In at least one embodiment, at least a portion of the trusted memorydevices/sources may correspond to memory that cannot easily be altered(e.g., “unalterable memory”) such as EPROMS, PROMS, Bios, Extended Bios,and/or other memory sources that are able to be configured, verified,and/or authenticated (e.g., for authenticity) in a secure and controlledmanner.

According to one embodiment, when a trusted information source is incommunication with a remote device via a network, the remote device mayemploy a verification scheme to verify the identity of the trustedinformation source. For example, the trusted information source and theremote device may exchange information using public and privateencryption keys to verify each other's identities. In anotherembodiment, the remote device and the trusted information source mayengage in methods using zero knowledge proofs to authenticate each oftheir respective identities.

EGMs storing trusted information may utilize apparatuses or methods todetect and prevent tampering. For instance, trusted information storedin a trusted memory device may be encrypted to prevent its misuse. Inaddition, the trusted memory device may be secured behind a locked door.Further, one or more sensors may be coupled to the memory device todetect tampering with the memory device and provide some record of thetampering. In yet another example, the memory device storing trustedinformation might be designed to detect tampering attempts and clear orerase itself when an attempt at tampering has been detected. Examples oftrusted memory devices/sources are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,515,718,entitled “Secured Virtual Network in a Gaming Environment”.

Mass storage devices used in a general purpose computing devicestypically enable code and data to be read from and written to the massstorage device. In a gaming environment, modification of the gaming codestored on a mass storage device is strictly controlled and would only beenabled under specific maintenance type events with electronic andphysical enablers required. Though this level of security could beprovided by software, EGMs that include mass storage devices includehardware level mass storage data protection circuitry that operates atthe circuit level to monitor attempts to modify data on the mass storagedevice and will generate both software and hardware error triggersshould a data modification be attempted without the proper electronicand physical enablers being present. Examples of using a mass storagedevice are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,522, entitled “Method ofAuthenticating Game Data Sets in an Electronic Casino Gaming System”.

Various changes and modifications to the present embodiments describedherein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes andmodifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe present subject matter and without diminishing its intendedadvantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modificationsbe covered by the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:
 1. A system comprising: aprocessor; and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructionsthat, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: responsiveto a first amount of funds maintained in a gaming establishment accountfor a first amount of time, determine a first value available to beawarded in association with forgoing a first electronic transfer of thefirst amount of funds from the gaming establishment account to anexternal account for the first amount of time, responsive to a second,different amount of funds maintained in the gaming establishment accountfor the first amount of time, determine a second value available to beawarded in association with forgoing a second electronic transfer of thesecond, different amount of funds from the gaming establishment accountto the external account, the second value being different from the firstvalue for the first amount of time, and responsive to the first amountof funds maintained in the gaming establishment account for a secondamount of time, determine a third value available to be awarded inassociation with forgoing a third electronic transfer of the firstamount of funds from the gaming establishment account to the externalaccount for the second amount of time, the third value being differentfrom the first value and the second amount of time being different fromthe first amount of time.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein whenexecuted by the processor after the first amount of funds are maintainedin the gaming establishment account for the first amount of time andresponsive to an occurrence of an incentive realization event, theinstructions cause the processor to: determine an award based on thedetermined first value, and communicate data that results in a displaydevice displaying the determined award.
 3. The system of claim 2,wherein a value of the determined award is different from the determinedfirst value.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the incentive realizationevent occurs based on an action of a user associated with the gamingestablishment account.
 5. The system of claim 2, wherein the gamingestablishment account and the external account are associated with afirst user and the determined award is associated with a second,different user.
 6. The system of claim 2, wherein the determined awardis any of: a monetary amount, a quantity of player tracking points, aplayer tracking point modifier, a quantity of promotional credits, and aquantity of virtual credits.
 7. The system of claim 2, wherein whenexecuted by the processor, the instructions cause the processor todetermine the award in association with a play of a game displayed bythe display device.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the play of thegame comprises a random determination.
 9. The system of claim 1, whereinwhen executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor todetermine the first value based on a percentage of an amount of interestaccrued on the first amount of funds maintained in the gamingestablishment account for the first amount of time.
 10. A systemcomprising: a processor; and a memory device that stores a plurality ofinstructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processorto: responsive to a first quantity of transaction fees avoided inassociation with forgoing a first quantity of electronic transfers offunds from a first quantity of gaming establishment accounts to a firstquantity of external accounts and responsive to an occurrence of anincentive realization event: determine, based on a value of the firstquantity of transaction fees, a first value available to be awarded,determine a first award based on the determined first value, andcommunicate data that results in a first display device displaying thedetermined first award, and responsive to a second, different quantityof transaction fees avoided in association with forgoing a second,different quantity of electronic transfers of funds from a second,different quantity of gaming establishment accounts to a second,different quantity of external accounts and responsive to the occurrenceof the incentive realization event: determine, based on a value of thesecond, different quantity of transaction fees, a second, differentvalue available to be awarded, determine a second award based on thedetermined second, different value, and communicate data that results ina second display device displaying the determined second award.
 11. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein at least one of: the first award isdifferent from the second award, the first display device is differentfrom the second display device, the first award is determined inassociation with a first play of a game displayed by the first displaydevice, and the second award is determined in association with a secondplay of the game displayed by the second display device.
 12. A method ofoperating a system, the method comprising: responsive to a first amountof funds maintained in a gaming establishment account for a first amountof time, determining, by a processor, a first value available to beawarded in association with forgoing a first electronic transfer of thefirst amount of funds from the gaming establishment account to anexternal account for the first amount of time, responsive to a second,different amount of funds maintained in the gaming establishment accountfor the first amount of time, determining, by the processor, a secondvalue available to be awarded in association with forgoing a secondelectronic transfer of the second, different amount of funds from thegaming establishment account to the external account, the second valuebeing different from the first value for the first amount of time, andresponsive to the first amount of funds maintained in the gamingestablishment account for a second amount of time, determining, by theprocessor, a third value available to be awarded in association withforgoing a third electronic transfer of the first amount of funds fromthe gaming establishment account to the external account for the secondamount of time, the third value being different from the first value andthe second amount of time being different from the first amount of time.13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, after the first amountof funds are maintained in the gaming establishment account for thefirst amount of time and responsive to an occurrence of an incentiverealization event: determining, by the processor, an award based on thedetermined first value, and displaying, by a display device, thedetermined award.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein a value of thedetermined award is different from the determined first value.
 15. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the incentive realization event occurs basedon an action of a user associated with the gaming establishment account.16. The method of claim 13, wherein the gaming establishment account andthe external account are associated with a first user and the determinedaward is associated with a second, different user.
 17. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the determined award is any of: a monetary amount, aquantity of player tracking points, a player tracking point modifier, aquantity of promotional credits, and a quantity of virtual credits. 18.The method of claim 13, further comprising determining, by theprocessor, the award in association with a play of a game displayed bythe display device.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the play of thegame comprises a random determination.
 20. The method of claim 12,further comprising determining, by the processor, the first value basedon a percentage of an amount of interest accrued on the first amount offunds maintained in the gaming establishment account for the firstamount of time.